


Are you awake

by Ambitiouz



Category: Vis a Vis | Locked In (Spain TV)
Genre: Angst, Choking, Dirty Talk, Domestic Fluff, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Fingerfucking, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hair-pulling, Idiots in Love, Lesbian Sex, Mutual Pining, Romance, Rough Sex, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 08:41:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 30,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24966913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ambitiouz/pseuds/Ambitiouz
Summary: “Puta rubia..” Zulema muttered as she opened the cabinet to get the coffee. That’s when she heard a soft moan coming from the bed. Her hand froze as she turned her head so fast she was certain she’d get whiplash. Macarena hadn’t stirred, still lying in the same position. Zulema waited one, two, three seconds and then returned to the task of making coffee.“Zu..lema”Zulema dropped the spoon with a clank and blinked.
Relationships: Macarena Ferreiro/Zulema Zahir
Comments: 177
Kudos: 386





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first fanfic on here so please be nice. English is not my native language so there might be some mistakes.  
> If you like what you read please leave a review. 
> 
> Ciao!

It was early morning, the first rays of sunlight hitting Macarena straight in the eyes. She was usually a rather heavy sleeper but her life in the van with Zulema had started to take a toll on her and now more than often she found herself stirring awake at ungodly hours. This time however, it wasn’t restlessness that had caused her to wake up but the feeling of being watched. It took a couple of more seconds before her brain could register the sensation and her eyes suddenly flew open only to find Zulema sitting on the edge of their bed, staring at her with a curious look.  
“What the fuck.. are you watching me sleep?” Macarena croaked, feeling somewhat insecure and intimidated by the intense stare coming from the other woman. That feeling increased as she watched Zulema move to straddle her waist, her hair falling around her face like a curtain as she slowly leaned down, giving Macarena a rather nice view as the brunette was only wearing a black tank top. 

“Zulema what are you doing?” Macarena couldn’t keep the arousal from her voice as her breath quickened. She didn’t dare touch Zulema just yet, in case of this being another one of her weird games to get in her head. But when Zulema dove in for her neck and she could feel her teeth graze over her pulse point only to bite down a second later, Maca couldn’t help the moan that escaped her and she grabbed the brunette by the hips. She heard herself whisper the name of the older woman whose mouth had moved down to graze her collarbone and Macarena moaned louder as she felt her teeth digging into the skin once again.   
A second later they were both naked and Macarena watched in slow fascination as Zulema brought her hand down to,-

“Rubia” 

Macarena groaned as the vision of Zulema started to blur and eventually fade.

“Maca! “ 

“Mmyes..” 

As soon as the word had left her lips she realised that something was off and a moment later Macarena found herself eye to eye with Zulema who was fully clothed and watching her with a mixture of worry and amusement. 

“Uh..” Was the only response she could offer as she sat up, feeling her face redden with embarrassment. Had she moaned in her sleep? Did she say Zulemas name? She wasn’t a sleep talker as far as she knew so there was hope. 

“Are you ok? You were moaning in your sleep” 

Well, so much for hope. Macarena quickly scanned her brain for any type of excuse. However, by the look on Zulemas face she didn’t seem to have a clue as to what the dream was about. 

“Just.. a nightmare” 

Zulema only nodded in response, giving her one last look before stepping over to the sink. 

“Coffee?”   
\-- 

Zulema had fallen asleep in the sun chair. She was currently standing outside the van stretching her sore limbs, the thought hitting her like a brick that she wasn’t young anymore and couldn’t allow herself to fall asleep in chairs. She groaned and rubbed her neck as she stepped into the van to make some coffee.   
Macarena was fast asleep, as usual. She envied the way the blonde could just go to bed and fall asleep within minutes, something she had never really had the ability to do. Ever since she was a teenager she had been a restless sleeper and now when they were always on the run it was sometimes impossible to find sleep. Except apparently in rickety sun chairs. She glanced over at the blonde who was lying on her stomach, her hands tucked underneath the pillow. 

“Puta rubia..” Zulema muttered as she opened the cabinet to get the coffee. That’s when she heard a soft moan coming from the bed. Her hand froze as she turned her head so fast she was certain she’d get whiplash. Macarena hadn’t stirred, still lying in the same position. Zulema waited one, two, three seconds and then returned to the task of making coffee. 

“Zu..lema” 

Zulema dropped the spoon with a clank and blinked. Slowly, she turned her head to look at Macarena who had now rolled over onto her back, her left hand resting on her stomach. As in a trance Zulema felt her body gravitate towards the blonde, her eyes never leaving her sleeping form. Macarena was breathing fast and she was moaning softly. There was no mistake of what she was dreaming about. Zulema swallowed hard as a wave of emotions washed over her, curiosity, fear, excitement. She wasn’t a stranger to these feelings; she had realised her attraction to Macarena a while ago but it was something she had learned to ignore. Until now.

“Rubia” Watching Macarena now felt wrong somehow, and Zulema raised her voice, all of a sudden feeling like all air had left her lungs. 

“Maca!”

As Macarena opened her eyes Zulema quickly schooled her features into that of worry, giving no hint that she knew what was going on. She watched with fascination as the blonde made up an excuse of a nightmare, her cheeks colouring.  
Zulema decided not to press any further even though she wanted to ask a million questions, not sure if she would be ready to hear the answers. She gave Macarena a onceover and went to the kitchen, her heart still beating madly in her chest. 

\--  
Zulema could have kept ignoring her attraction to the blonde for all eternity, until said blonde had to go and have a sex dream about her causing all sorts of emotions to be brought to the surface. Emotions that she had carefully learned to conceal, that she had stowed away and locked up until she barely remembered that they were even there. Now there was a storm raging within her, causing an inner turmoil that couldn’t be repressed no matter how much she tried to. She fired off the bullets, one after another in quick succession, enjoying the feeling of the recoil. Her legs firmly apart Zulema grabbed the gun by both hands and fired off another row of bullets, hitting the beer can every time. 

Zulema could then sense Macarena’s presence and paused. 

“Having fun wasting bullets?” 

For some reason, the sound of Macarena’s voice was more annoying than usual and Zulema scoffed in irritation. She lowered the gun but refused to look over at the blonde who was scuffing her feet on the sand. 

“You could use some practice too, your aim is shit” Zulema threw the gun towards the ground, the gun landing by Macarenas feet. She bent down and picked it up. 

“There are no bullets left though, you used them all”

Zulema didn’t bother to reply. Her whole body felt warm and cold at the same time and she hated that the blonde had such an effect on her. She was Zulema fucking Zahir. 

“I’m going out for a while” Zulema missed the look of concern on Macarenas face as she walked over to the bicycle currently resting against the side of the van. If she was using the bike she wasn’t going far. The blonde could sense that something was off with Zulema and said her name before she could think twice.

“Zulema?” 

The brunette hopped on the bike and turned her head to look at Macarena who seemed to be struggling as she was fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. For a moment Zulema felt glad by the fact that she wasn’t the only one struggling with her emotions and she relaxed her features slightly.

“Are you..” Macarena started to ask something but seemed to change her mind mid-sentence. Zulema felt her irritation rise again and sighed. 

“Could you buy some Coke?” The blonde finally let out.   
Zulema rolled her eyes in response as she let her feet hit the pedals and rode off into the desert.

Macarena was busy fixing the leg of the chair when she saw a dark figure appear at the edge of her vision. Zulema dropped the bottle in her lap.

“Here is your soda” 

Macarena gave up her fight with the chair and grabbed the bottle. She glanced at the label. 

“You bought Pepsi” 

Zulema dropped down in the chair next to her and lit a cigarette. 

“Good that you can read” 

“I don’t like Pepsi. You know I prefer Coke” 

Zulema closed her eyes as she let her head fall back against the chair. 

“It tastes the same” 

“No it does not. Pepsi is gross” 

“It’s fucking soda, just drink it”

Maca couldn’t care less about the soda. Pushing Zulema’s buttons was a far easier way to communicate and she didn’t know how else to figure out what was wrong. Zulema had been pissy the whole day, blaming Macarena for every little mishap. Sure,their relationship had always been strenuous and there was no correct label for it. They weren’t friends, nor acquaintances, not a couple, nor lovers. They were simply co-existing. But lately Macarena had sensed a change in the atmosphere whenever they were together, which were most of the time and her dream this morning had been the final piece of the puzzle. It didn’t really surprise her but at the same time it did. As soon as she had realised that she’d had a sex dream about the elf from fucking hell she had felt her heart drop to the bottom of her stomach. She didn’t know if she was horrified or delighted, probably both. Having any type of feelings beyond the friendly could be disastrous. Maca wasn’t stupid. She knew if Zulema found out she would probably make fun of her, ridicule her. She couldn’t pretend the thought didn’t hurt. 

“I’m gonna start dinner”   
Zulema didn’t move or say anything as Macarena climbed down the ladder. 

The next couple of days went on in the same manner. Both finding new ways to annoy one another, like two teenagers. Their next planned robbery was coming up and Zulema was once again going through the details in her head. She had almost made it to their escape when a voice interrupted her thoughts. Zulema took a deep breath, preparing herself for another argument.

“Didn’t you do the dishes?” Maca gesticulated to the pile of dishes covering every surface of the sink.

“Are they dirty?” Zulema responded without looking up. 

“Uh, yeah” 

“Well then I guess I didn’t do the dishes” Zulema responded and returned to her escape plan by closing her eyes.   
She suppressed the feeling of guilt as the blonde started washing the plates, muttering angrily to herself. It was Zulema’s turn but she had ignored the task all day. Doing house chores wasn’t exactly her favourite but she usually did them without complaint. She was aware that she was being childish and that Macarena didn’t deserve this attitude from her. She didn’t know where this resentment was coming from. They had been getting on fine, not exactly friendly but close enough. The scene of Macarena dreaming kept going on repeat in her head and she felt her insides burn with want every time she heard her name fall off the blonde’s lips. She had tried to push the thoughts of Macarena away but to no avail. Zulema didn’t know whether she wanted to punch her or fuck her, though she was probably leaning more towards the latter. The escape plan forgotten Zulema opened her eyes to watch her partner in crime. She had her hair up in a ponytail, something that Zulema approved of very much. Zulema proceeded to take in her slim form, from the top of her shoulders down to her bare feet. The shorts were hugging her tightly and for a moment Zulema felt like a perv as her gaze was fixated on a particular spot.   
She then got up from the bed, approaching the blonde who pretended not to notice her. 

“Give me that” 

Macarena looked up, slightly surprised and slowly handed over the plate she had just finished rinsing. Zulema grabbed a towel and started drying the plate off. They continued doing the dishes in silence even though Zulema could swear her heartbeat must be heard every time their fingers accidentally touched.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, I realise that Zulema is a bit softer in my fic than in the show. But she will have her "Zulema" moments. 
> 
> Here is chapter two. Enjoy.

The following days Zulema tried her hardest not to let her emotions get in the way of her plans. Every time she looked upon her companion she was reminded of the fact that her feelings for the blonde had gone from wanting to strangle her to feeling, what, affection? She could barely admit it to herself let alone comprehend it because it was so absurd. But was it really? They had been through so much together and had spent the last one and a half year only in each other’s company so maybe it wasn’t so surprising.  
The old Zulema would have acted on it, would have called Macarena out, perhaps teased her a bit and then seduced her. She can’t pretend the thought doesn’t appeal to her. Even now as she is watching Macarena sitting by the tree, engulfed in a book, she can imagine herself walking over there, grabbing the book and tossing it aside. Maca would get angry and Zulema would enjoy the look of annoyance on the blondes face and she would enjoy it even more when it transformed into surprise as she grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and crashed her lips against hers. Zulema would be in control, as she always was and she would thrive feeling Macarena trembling beneath her. Zulema felt her body grow hot as she got lost in her fantasy and she cursed herself once again for letting her mind travel. Yes, she could seduce Macarena and sleep with her. Then what? Would they become lovers? Would it be just a one time occurrence? Was Maca even attracted to her? 

At the beginning of their partnership Zulema had made several flirtatious comments but the blonde had never taken the bait or shown any kind of interest beyond the friendly. After a while Zulema stopped making such comments and was at peace with the fact that Maca and her would never venture into such waters.  
They used to joke about getting married and Maca had at one opportunity referred to Zulema as her wife when she had lost her temper during a scouting. The man that had been unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of Zulema’s wrath had been of the older sort and his eyes had turned into the size of plates when Macarena had appeared from behind, grabbed her by the waist and apologized to the man by saying “So sorry sir, my wife has a bit of a temper, we were just about to leave”  
Zulema chuckled softly to herself at the memory. It had been one of their most successful robberies and they had celebrated by drinking until dawn. All of a sudden she felt a longing she had never felt before, it came so fast it took her by surprise. She gazed over at Macarena again, her blonde hair glowing in the sun and the feeling increased. She wanted to weep.  
\--

So apparently Monday was a good day to get drunk. “As good as any other day” as Macarena had said and then taken another swig of the bottle of tequila. Zulema had watched her with scepticism while sipping from her bottle of water. 

“I don’t understand how you can drink so much” She muttered. 

Macarena smacked her lips and sighed in content. 

“I forgot the salt, be right back” 

Zulema leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth. It had been cloudy for a couple of days so today she was just going to bask in the sun, no worries, no remorse. So far the day had gone well and things had slowly started to get back to normal between them. The robbery didn’t go exactly as planned but it worked out in the end and they were now closer to the ocean than before. If she stuck out her tongue she was certain she could taste the salt of the water, or maybe she was only imagining it.  
She could hear the rubia returning and wished she had asked her to bring their speaker. Oh well. She could use her phone. Zulema was busy scrolling through her music lists and didn’t notice that Macarena had slowly gotten closer. She looked up to see Macarena holding up a saltshaker with a smirk on her lips. 

“No” Zulema responded and kept scrolling through her phone.

“Come ooon, we never celebrated the last heist” 

“I don’t do tequila” 

“Pff, that’s a lie” Macarena muttered as she started to pour salt on top of her left hand. Too bad they had no lemons and a quick run to the grocery store wasn’t exactly on the table. As she took another swig Zulema finally found the playlist she was looking for. Just as she hit play Macarena got up and started to sway to the music.

“You’re gonna fall off” Zulema heard herself say and almost regretted sounding like a mother. The blonde ignored her and kept swaying back and forth to the music, her eyes closed. Zulema’s eyes were drawn immediately to her hips and she didn’t realise that she was staring until Macarena started talking.

“Enjoying the view?” The blonde teased as she did a little shake of her ass. Zulema scoffed and bent down to grab the bottle of tequila now abandoned on the floor. 

“Gimme the salt” She ordered and the blonde sashayed over with the saltshaker, extending her hand to Zulema who took it, careful not to touch the other. The liquid caused a burning sensation in her throat and she coughed, shaking her head.

“See, you totally lied” Macarena started swaying again although now she was closer, standing next to Zulema who was still sitting in the chair. 

“No I didn’t” 

“Yes you did” 

“No”

“Yes, oops.-! ” 

Zulema quickly extended her hands to steady the blonde who had lost her footing. Macarena then started laughing. 

“I told you you would fall, idiot” Zulema kept her hands where they were on Macarenas hips and she could feel her palms start to sweat. Macarena stopped laughing and looked at the brunette whose hands were still attached to her hips. She could feel the warmth from those hands and somehow it radiated through the rest of her body. Their eyes met and suddenly it seemed as though time had stopped. Macarena’s smile faded slowly until it was gone entirely and her mind drifted towards the dream she’d had weeks ago. The dream that had her waking up a sweaty mess and with an aching core. And right now Zulema was looking at her just as intensely as she had looked at her in the dream, her green eyes now a much darker shade. 

They kept staring at each other, the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. Then Maca blew it. She started giggling again, earning a look of confusion from the other woman. 

“What? What’s so funny?” Zulema asked, feeling left out. 

Maca just started shaking her head. She had been about to do something really stupid. Blaming it on the alcohol she took a step back but immediately missed the warm feeling on her hips as Zulema let go of her. She stopped giggling and sat down on her chair with a sigh, Zulema still watching her, waiting for an answer.  
But Macarena only closed her eyes, drowning out the rest of the world. It was quiet, so quiet she could hear the steady breathing of the other woman next to her. She listened as Zulema inhaled deeply through her nose, then letting loose a shaky breath. Maca turned her head and slowly opened her eyes, her eyes falling on the brunette currently staring straight ahead. Zulema had been acting different for a while now and the blonde didn’t know what to make of it. It was as if she no longer had the same bite to her insults and she was lacking the sarcastic comments that she usually armed herself with.  
She tried to think of a reason for the recent change in behaviour but couldn’t think of anything. Their life was, robberies aside, quite uneventful. 

Their relationship had never been so tense and Maca wished she could do something to bring back a smile to Zulema’s lips because lately she did nothing but mope. She thought back to her first day at Cruz del Sur, when she had first met Zulema and how frightened she had been. She remembers feeling like a canary, trapped by a predator. She remembers shrinking under Zulema’s gaze, showing her submission. During the following years Macarena had slowly transformed from a canary, to a lion. The day when she stood up to Zulema in the corridor, watched by dozens of prisoners, had been the first step of her transformation. Watching Saray having to keep Zulema from attacking her, Maca had screamed victoriously internally. It had left her on a high and she remembers falling asleep that night with a smile on her lips.  
Over the years their relationship grew complicated. Maca had in a strange way taken comfort by the hatred that bound them together and even though she could have escaped prison several times, she had always returned to Zulema. It was like she had grown to become a part of her, a part that she sometimes hated but couldn’t live without. 

Maca had been drawn to Zulema like a moth to a flame and even when she was out of prison her dreams kept reminding her of what the therapist had called “her deepest desire”. It wasn’t a coincidence that she loved the sound of the washing machines. They always took her back to that day when she woke up from the coma, learning the name of her saviour. She had wanted to hate Zulema, to feel nothing but pure, unmasked hatred. But it wasn’t that simple and it never could be because no matter how much both tried to pretend otherwise, they were something to each other.  
And Macarena was slowly learning to understand that perhaps Zulema cared more about her than she had initially thought. 

One of Macarena’s fondest memory of them was when just after they had bought the caravan and they were arguing over the interior. Zulema wanted to keep things simple but Macarena wanted all kinds of decorations, including the bright multi-coloured lights hanging from the ceiling. 

“What do you need that for?” 

Zulema had asked when Macarena had found a dreamcatcher on a market sale.

“It’s a dreamcatcher. Haven’t you ever seen one?” 

“Of course I have. Why do you want it?” 

“Why not? It’s pretty” 

Macarena was met with the sight of Zulema rolling her eyes.

“Fine, what do you want to buy then?” 

“I think we should get some more medical supplies”

“Okay let’s go to the pharmacy” 

They ended up with a bunch of stuff that Macarena was sure they wouldn’t use even half of. 

“10 packs of aspirin? Was that really necessary?” Macarena was sitting Indian style on the floor, rummaging through the box of newly bought supplies and she frowned as she realised that she had partnered with a hoarder.

“Okay bandages I get but why do we need… lice-shampoo?” 

Zulema shrugged as she flipped a page of her book. She was lying on her back in the bed, reading.

“I didn’t think you were a “multivitamins-kind of woman”” Macarena had found a bottle of vitamins and was currently reading the label. 

“They are for you” 

“Me? Why would I need them?”

“Because you’re too skinny” 

Macarena was dumbfounded and didn’t know what to answer to that. Instead she opened the bottle of vitamins and popped one into her mouth. 

“Ugh that tastes disgusting” She grimaced and quickly tried to swallow the enormous pill. 

“It’s the iron, gives a metal taste” Zulema responded indifferently while Macarena started making a weird noise. She saw the other woman get up from the floor and steady herself against the wall. That’s when Zulema looked up. 

“Joder” 

Like the speed of a lightning bolt she got up from the bed, book tossed aside and ran over to the blonde who was now clutching her throat desperately. Zulema wasted no time and quickly spun her around only to grab her from behind, right below her chest. She used all the strength she could muster and pushed hard into her chest with both hands. Macarena made a gasping sound but kept heaving in panic and Zulema repeated the action from earlier, only this time she actually growled. 

They both watched in fascination as the gigantic pill flew out of Macarena’s mouth only to land directly in the box of their medical supplies.

“I don’t think I will keep taking those” Macarena croaked after taking large gulps of air. Three seconds passed then they both started laughing hysterically.  
The next day when Macarena woke up sometime around noon, there was a dreamcatcher hanging above her.

Maca smiled at the memory and looked up at Zulema who was busy lighting a cigarette.

“Hey, remember when you bought me that dreamcatcher?” 

Zulema took a drag of her cigarette before responding. 

“Uh-huh. I still think it’s hideous” 

“Then why did you buy it?” Macarena asked even though she already knew the answer. She wanted to hear it from the brunette. 

“Because you wouldn’t stop nagging about it” 

Macarena rolled her eyes in defeat. Had she really expected any other answer? She shifted in her seat. Man, it was really hot today. Suddenly she had an idea. 

“Let’s go to the beach. I’m about to self combust from the heat” Maca suggested and was happy to see Zulema nodding in consent. 

“Yes, let’s go” 

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh so much angst. And there will be more of it before it gets better.  
> But it will get better because I hate sad endings!  
> Also, I have no idea if you can choke on those pills but I swear it feels like I'm going to whenever I try to swallow one. 
> 
> Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter:)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to make some things clear about this fanfic.  
> 1\. Zulema doesn't have cancer  
> 2\. Maca is not pregnant  
> 3\. There is no El Oasis

They kept going to the beach for three days straight. They had managed to find an isolated spot at the edge, surrounded by birch trees. On the third day there was a group of young adults there, both men and women. They had kept to themselves until Zulema had gone for a stroll, leaving Maca alone. She was sunbathing on the beach when a man in his mid-twenties approached her. He was muscular and was wearing pink bath shorts. Macarena eyed him up and down and waited for him to speak. 

“Hi there, did your friend leave you all alone?” 

Maca used her hand to cover her eyes from the sun and peered up into his face. He was wearing a friendly smile. 

“She’ll come back soon, she just went to buy something to drink” 

The man nodded and kept smiling. He then proceeded to hold out his hand.

“I’m Marco” 

Macarena watched him for a few more seconds then she hesitantly took his hand. 

“Maca” 

His smile widened and he took her response as an invitation to sit down next to her. Macarena was unsure what to do. He was definitely handsome, although a bit young, but she hadn’t slept with anyone in months, hell hadn’t even been touched by anyone other than her housemate, in a purely non-sexual way. The thought of Zulema had her suddenly hesitating but it faded away when Marco started speaking again.

“So, Maca. Do you live around here or are you a tourist like me?” 

They began a light conversation and Maca was surprised to find that he was actually nice and she started to enjoy talking with him. When he kissed her an hour later she let him. It was only when she heard a distinct voice that she remembered where she was, and who she was with. The man looked up in surprise at first but then smiled.

“Oh, welcome back. Don’t worry, I kept your friend company while you were gone”

Maca wanted to laugh at the look on Zulema’s face. Her eyes were throwing daggers his way but he didn’t seem to notice as he stood up and held out his hand.

“I’m Marco” 

There was an awkward silence as Zulema did nothing but stare at his hand as though it had personally offended her. After a moment, he slowly withdrew his hand and his smile faltered. He cleared his throat nervously. Macarena almost felt sorry for him but she was too amused to feel any real sorrow.

“Well, uh” he spoke and looked back at her for help. Macarena smiled and got up to join them, standing next to him. 

“Don’t worry Marco, Zulema is not very good with new people” she grabbed him by the elbow and gave him a peck on the cheek. “You should go back to your friends for now”  
Marco looked back and forth between the two women, hoping that he still had a chance. He watched as the woman called Zulema stood straighter and raised her eyebrows at him.

“You heard her. Piss off” 

He was surprised at her tone and was momentarily taken aback by the behaviour of this woman. 

“Watch your tone lady, your friend and I were having a good time so maybe you’re the one who should leave” 

If he had known who Zulema Zahir was he would have been more careful with his words. But he didn’t know and so he couldn’t anticipate the punch that suddenly hit him square in the jaw. He heard the blonde shouting.

“Zulema!” 

“You bitch!”

That comment earned him a kick and he fell to the ground. Zulema was just about to land another kick but Macarena was on her before she had the chance. She successfully held her back while nodding for Marco to leave. 

“GO!” She shouted at him and he only hesitated for a half second before sprinting off, leaving a small trail of blood behind. Maca let go off Zulema who was now cursing loudly. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” Macarena shouted. They were standing toe to toe, their faces only inches apart. Maca looked into the eyes of the brunette, surprised to see the amount of rage lingering there. She was breathing fast, her chest rising and falling rapidly. 

“You wanted to fuck him?” Zulema took one step closer, their noses almost touching, her eyes digging holes into Macarena who kept her expression neutral. 

“So what if I did? Aren’t I allowed to?” 

Their eyes were glued to each other for another minute until finally Zulema scoffed and backed away. 

“Do whatever you want” 

Macarena watched her retreating back, wondering at the obvious display of jealousy. It wasn’t as though this was the first time anyone had showed interest in her. And she was certain that Zulema had adventures of her own, having smelled cologne on her sometimes when she had gotten back late at night. It was hard not to when they were forced to sleep next to each other. So where the hell did this come from?  
Maca gathered her things and went after the brunette, dragging her feet. When they came back to the van Maca decided to grab the bull by the horn.

“Okay so what is going on with you lately?” 

She watched as Zulema sat down on the bed to take off her boots and waited for a reply but the other woman kept ignoring her. Maca sighed loudly and crossed her arms. 

“Zulema, stop acting like a fucking child and speak to me” 

That got her attention as Zulema looked up as though she had seen her for the first time, her big doe-eyes causing a flutter in Macarena’s stomach. 

“Nothing is wrong, I’m fine” 

That was the biggest bullshit she had ever heard. Maca pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on. She was getting too old for this crap. 

“Zulema… “ she started but didn’t know how to proceed. She gave it another try. 

“I know you, and I know something is wrong. You lost it back there, why?” 

Zulema bit her lower lip and dropped her gaze to the floor. 

“I would’ve kicked him into next week if you hadn’t held me back” She confessed and was surprised by her own honesty and how true it was. She had really wanted to destroy him. 

“Okay, I know he was not the nicest but did he really deserve that?”

Zulema couldn’t respond to that without confessing everything. Her feelings for the blonde was really beginning to get her into trouble. And this was only the beginning. 

“I admit I might have gone a bit too far” 

Macarena observed the older woman sitting on the bed, massaging her bruised knuckles. She was suddenly overcome by sympathy for the brunette and crouched down in front of Zulema, carefully grabbing her right hand. Zulema flinched at the soft way that Maca took her hand to inspect the damage and she felt her heart melt when the blonde started to rub her knuckles softly with her thumb.

“You have to be careful Zule” Maca whispered as they locked eyes. Zulema couldn’t help but wonder where this concern was coming from. They didn’t do soft, this was new and she was confused. 

“I’m fine Rubia, stop fussing over me” She replied, her mind screaming ‘no don’t stop’ but of course she would never let the blonde know that.  
Macarena smiled and let go of her hand with a soft squeeze and stood up. She was just about to speak when she heard a noise. Zulema quickly stood from the bed and approached the window. A police cruiser was stopping a few metres from the van. The little bastard had called the cops on her.

“Fuck” she cursed and started to wrack her brain for a plan but was interrupted by Maca who grabbed her by the elbow. 

“I got this, stay here” She dragged Zulema over to the toilet and shoved her in there. 

There was a knock at the door.

“What the fuck are you doing?” She tried to get past the blonde but Maca pushed her back. 

“Trust me” 

Zulema tried once more and was surprised at the amount of strength with which the blonde shoved her back in, so hard that she landed on the toilet seat with a thud. Macarena took the opportunity to close the door and made a silent prayer that the brunette would stay put. The knocking increased and Maca cursed fervently as she quickly pulled on a wig and sunglasses. She opened the door widely, wearing the fakest smile she could muster. 

“Hello officer, how can I help you?”

The police officer was female, her long brown hair held up in a low ponytail. She had a nose piercing and was looking at her with great suspicion. She held up a shiny badge.

“Good evening. I’m officer Raquel Murrillo” 

Macarena pretended to inspect the badge while the woman continued talking.

“I’m looking for a woman, dark hair, dressed fully in black. She was supposedly headed this way according to the man who reported her” 

Maca pretended to think for a while, her brow furrowing in concentration. 

“Mmm no I haven’t seen anyone like that around. It’s just me and myself here” She grinned widely, hoping that the officer wasn’t as smart as she looked. As fate had it, the officer was way smarter than she looked. 

“Can I come inside?” 

Maca didn’t expect her to want to come inside but she opened the door wider, showing no signs of discomfort.

“Sure, it’s a bit untidy but I’m sure you’ve seen worse” She chuckled but the woman only looked at her and stepped inside, not falling for her charm. Maca swallowed nervously as the officer took in every bit of the  
van, from the unmade bed to the pile of dishes in the sink. Her eyes were then fixed on the two glasses on the table. 

“Didn’t you say you lived alone?” The woman approached the table and grabbed one of the empty glasses. 

“Mhm but you know, a lady sometimes needs a bit of company” She winked at the officer, wishing she would take the hint. Macarena saw the door to the bathroom in her peripheral view and thanked whatever gods that Zulema had decided to be compliant for once. The officer called Raquel was still watching her like a hawk and Maca felt her heart hammer in her chest and her palms beginning to sweat. There was a gun taped under the sink but she really didn’t want to have to shoot the woman. That’s why her heart skipped a beat in relief when the officer finally smiled and placed the glass back on the table.

“Yeah, I got you. We all need a bit of relief every now and then” 

Macarena smiled back, a genuine smile this time. They stood like that for another second until the other woman started to walk to the door. 

“I’m not gonna disturb you any longer. Have a good evening” 

Macarena waved her goodbye and watched as the officer got back into her cruiser. She kept watching until the car was nothing but a speck in the distance and then she heard the bathroom door open with a slam. She had in her moment of relief forgotten about Zulema and if it wasn’t for the look of absolute rage on the brunettes face she would’ve laughed. Instead she started slowly backing away.

“Zulema,-“ 

She didn’t make it any further as the other woman strode up to her and grabbed her by the neck and squeezed. 

“Don’t ever, do that again” 

The warning was whispered and Macarena could hear by the tone of her voice that she wasn’t fucking around. She tried to speak but Zulema was crushing her windpipe and she tried to convey her words with her eyes instead. Looking deeply into the green eyes above her she stopped struggling and relaxed. Zulema loosened the grip on her throat, her hand wandering to the back of her neck where she buried it in her hair and yanked it back, exposing her throat. Macarena’s breath hitched and she felt her body going limp. She tried to supress a shiver when she felt Zulema’s lips ghosting her neck and up to her ear.

“Don’t play games with me Rubia. You will lose” 

Macarena finally shivered and felt herself growing wet by the brunette’s close proximity and with the way she was touching her. She parted her lips slightly as Zulema’s face came into view again, their faces only centimetres apart. Zulema then let go of her neck and backed away, their gazes still locked. 

“Don’t forget who you partnered with Maca. I am not your friend” 

And with those words Macarena was left alone to her own bitter thoughts. She cursed the day she met Zulema Zahir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha yes I put Raquel in here, shoot me.  
> What did you think of Officer Murrillo? ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for all your wonderful comments, they inspire me to continue writing and I am so grateful that you guys take the time to show your support! It really means a lot! You seemed to like the appearance of Raquel so I decided to make her part of the plot. Some of you also mentioned Marco and him might wanting to get revenge. Marco was created because I wanted a scene where we could see Zulema being jealous but I have no intention of giving him any more room in this story.

You would think that someone who spent most of their life running would be good at, well running, but Zulema was slightly lacking in that department. Her lungs were burning from exhaustion and she felt as though her legs were about to give in with every step she took. Yet she kept running until the burning sensation became unbearable and she finally collapsed into a heap on the ground, panting hard.

While she was lying there several thoughts went through her head, she couldn’t seem to escape them. She thought back to the previous day at the beach, remembering the sound of her fist hitting the man’s jaw and how much she had craved his blood. Seeing him smiling at Maca, and her smiling back at him left her with a sour taste in her mouth and the man just had to set fuel to the fire. It was disconcerting, the way she had reacted and yesterday had really been a close call in numerous ways. They had been lucky with the officer leaving and even though Zulema had been forced into the bathroom during the visit she was grateful to the blonde for saving their asses.

She didn’t know what prompted her to go running, she had just suddenly felt the need to get away, fast. They had been bickering again this morning and Zulema felt like she was slowly suffocating in the other woman’s presence. Running had seemed a good idea then but now she was beginning to regret it as she felt her legs quiver from the exercise. She really needed to work out more.  
Fishing in the pocket of her pants she pulled out a package of cigarettes. She sat up, lighting it and sighed in relief as she felt the nicotine hit her blood stream. The trees surrounding her were swaying lightly in the wind and she closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze as it caressed her face. As she sat there, thinking, Zulema started to re-evaluate the whole situation. Keeping herself in check was taking a heavier toll on her than she would ever have thought possible and she needed to find a way to get her control back. How would she explain to Maca why she reacted that way without spilling the truth?

There was the choice of telling her everything, from the day she heard Maca dreaming and that it awakened something in Zulema that couldn’t be put back to sleep no matter how much she tried. She can imagine the look on Maca’s face and suddenly that is no longer an option. No, she couldn’t tell her, their partnership depended on the fact that they were just that, partners, not lovers or friends. Taking their relationship to another level would only lead to catastrophic results.

However, Zulema was getting sick of her body going tense all the time, of being constantly aware of every single thing. She couldn’t relax no matter how hard she tried and the result was sleep deprivation. There had always been one thing that helped her relax; sex.

Whenever she had sex, she would sleep like a child afterwards. Maybe the whole being attracted-to-Maca-thing was due to lack of sex only deep down she knew that was far from the truth.

Coming to a decision Zulema stood from the ground, her legs cooperating again and started to make her way back to the van. When she reached it sometime later, it was empty and there was no sign of the other woman. Jumping into the shower Zulema prepared herself for an evening out. She put on a pair of skinny black jeans and a see-through black shirt with a black bra underneath. Putting on her combat boots she heard Maca’s footsteps outside and felt her body go rigid in an instance. It was getting to the point where she could barely stand to be around the blonde and this only served to make her more determined to go out and get laid.

“You going out?”

Macarena stood in the doorway, holding a bag of groceries. Zulema was busy tying her shoelaces and didn’t notice the way the other woman eyed her up and down, her eyes lingering somewhere on her chest.

“Yep”

She got up and grabbed her jacket from the chair, taking one last look in the mirror.

“Don’t wait up for me” She winked at the blonde, not waiting for an answer, and stepped outside to the car.

The club was only half full since it was still rather early. Zulema walked straight to the bar and ordered a beer, sliding a bill over the counter. She glanced around the room to see what was on the market and shrugged off her jacket, hanging it on the back of the chair. She took a sip from the beer, a trail of foam forming on her upper lip which she proceeded to lick off.  
Zulema hadn’t been to this place before and she was surprised to see so many women in the room. Even the bartender was female. Thinking nothing of it she took out her phone and started to scroll through the photo album. One of her favorite pastimes was to look at tattoos and she scrolled until she found the tattoo she was looking for. It was an eye with a single tear running down the cheek.

“You gonna get inked?”

Zulema looked up to find a pair of hazel eyes watching her. The woman they belonged to was watching her with a small smile on her lips and Zulema knew in an instant who she reminded her of.  
Except this woman had strawberry blonde hair and was way taller. She suddenly remembered that she’d been asked a question.

“No, I just like to look at them”

The woman smiled, showing off her teeth.

“I’m Bella” She held out her hand. Zulema hesitated for a second before she put her phone down on the counter and shook her hand.

“Macarena, Maca for short”

The name fell off her lips before she had the time to think it through. Also, she was beginning to understand what kind of bar this was. The way the other woman was eyeing her gave it away. Zulema had had sex with women before even though she preferred men. She had planned to find a man tonight but when her eyes fell on the woman in front of her, her plan quickly flew out the window.

Three beers and two shots later Zulema found herself pushed up against a wall behind the bar, eager hands belonging to the blonde exploring every part of her body. The whole area was surrounded in darkness except for a small light above the cellar door. As much as Zulema enjoyed the attention of the other woman she wanted to be in control and that’s why Bella suddenly found herself facing the wall, Zulema’s mouth attached to her neck. The blonde let out a gasp which then turned into a moan when the brunette proceeded to bite down. She buried her left hand in golden locks while the other wandered below her skirt. She could feel the woman’s excitement through her underwear and started to rub her over it. Zulema absolutely loved the way she was trembling against her and the way she was mewling every time she stroked her clit.

An image came to her, fueling her desire by a thousand and in her mind she was now entering a different blonde, with two of her fingers, and she let out a sigh in pleasure as they easily slipped in. Zulema closed her eyes while placing light kisses on the other woman's shoulder and she started to thrust her fingers in and out, drawing out several moans from her. Completely lost in her desire and will to dominate, Zulema picked up speed until the blonde was nothing but a sweaty mess, her hips jerking back meeting every thrust. Curling her fingers, Zulema felt the woman climax not a moment after, her name falling off her lips in a throaty moan.

For just a moment Zulema was confused, then reality hit her.

She pulled out her fingers from the woman and stepped back as though she’d been burned, quickly wiping off her fingers on her jeans. The woman turned around, her hair sticking to her forehead and a grin plastered on her face. She looked nothing like Maca.

“Come here sexy, let me return the favour”

Her silky voice reached her ears but Zulema was already miles away. This had been a disaster. Instead of quenching her thirst she had only managed to make it worse. Ignoring the other woman, Zulema turned around and started walking to the parking lot. She could hear the blonde calling after her but she didn’t want to stay a second longer and so she quickly made it to her car, setting the keys in the ignition with shaking fingers.

It was nearing midnight and the stars were out, strewn across the sky like a blanket. The road was mostly empty except for a few cars here and there. Zulema ached for a cigarette. She started digging around in her pocket and retrieved one, putting it in her mouth. When she bent her head down slightly to light it, her eyes left the road for a few seconds. A few seconds was all it took for Zulema to miss the deer.

When she finally saw it she reacted as anyone would. She grabbed the steering wheel with both hands and made a sharp turn to the right, the deer prancing away unscathed, probably unaware that it had just escaped death. Zulema was not as fortunate, even though she was slamming down the brake pedal with full force, a tree was blocking its path and the last thing she saw was a branch sticking through the window on the passenger seat.

\--

Macarena shuffled the card deck once again. Playing solitaire wasn’t exactly her idea of a fun evening but she currently lacked the energy to do anything else. As she started placing the cards on the table her mind drifted towards the person responsible for her current mental state. This morning had been like out of a comedy show. Macarena was making French toast for breakfast and accidentally dropped one on the floor when she tried to flip it. She had then picked it back up, inspected it and put it back in the frying pan.

“Did you just..?”

Maca turned around to find the brunette making a face of disgust and watched as she approached her from the table.

“Hey-!” Maca’s protest was ignored as Zulema picked up the toast from the pan and tossed it in the trash can. Now there was only one left.

“Were you really going to eat that? Look at the floor!”

Zulema gestured to the floor which certainly had seen better days.

"Says the woman who used a toothbrush that she scrubbed the toilet with!"

They stared at one another for a moment, neither of them backing down until Zulema repeated her earlier question.

"Were you going to eat that then?"

“Well, .. no”

The silence between them grew heavy as they both realised what that meant. Maca bit her lower lip and lowered her gaze, turning back to the stove.

“I heard Saray is getting out of prison next week” She said, trying to change the subject but Zulema was having none of it.

Macarena gasped as she felt the other woman grab her by the waist from behind, hard. Feeling all the blood rushing to one specific place, Macarena started to tremble, part from fear, part from something else she didn’t want to admit. She could feel the other woman’s breath on her neck and she fought the instinct to turn around and smash their lips together. Zulema’s hands were slowly moving from her waist down to her hips where they rested as if unsure how to proceed. Just as Maca was about to question the situation she heard a deep chuckle from the older woman.

“You little shit” She snorted and went back to her seat at the table, grabbed her book and continued reading as though nothing happened.

Maca stayed frozen for a few more seconds before she resumed cooking, the toast now slightly burnt. Her body had broken into a sweat and she had to wipe off her hands on a towel. It was embarrassing, the way her body melted by Zulema’s touch and that she was beginning to crave more of it. Why of all people did she have to be attracted to Zulema Zahir? Was she really attracted to her or was she so touch-starved that her body just instinctively reacted whenever it was touched? She couldn’t be certain.

Did she secretly enjoy the way Zulema’s eyes blackened in anger and was she perhaps pushing her buttons a little harder than necessary just to get a reaction? Maca bit the inside of her cheek in contemplation as she dumped the toast on a plate together with some fruit and berries. She placed it in front of Zulema who raised her eyebrows in question but she didn’t say anything. Putting her book down she dug into the toast using her hands. Maca took the other seat and watched as the brunette devoured the toast in record speed. Realising that the blonde was staring Zulema paused mid-bite.

“What?” She asked, her mouth full of toast.

“You eat like a child” Maca responded, the corners of her lips turning up into a smile.

Zulema stared at her with an unreadable expression for a moment before she resumed chewing, swallowing it down with a glass of juice. Her eyes then darted back to the woman in front of her whose eyes were still on her.

“Thanks for the brekkie Rubia” She winked at the blonde before grabbing the plate and bringing it to the sink. “And oh, I have decided you get to mop the floor today” She added.

Maca rolled her eyes and threw the dish towel at Zulema.

“I made breakfast, you can mop the floor and oh, clean the bathroom. Your hairs are everywhere”

“My hair? Just because yours isn’t as visible doesn’t mean it’s not there”

“Fine, I clean the floor and the bathroom and you do the laundry”

“Deal”

Maca stared at the cards on the table, her mind slowly drifting back to the present. She looked up at the clock on the wall. It was after midnight and she was beginning to feel her eyelids getting heavy. Time to sleep.

\--

Zulema could hear sirens. Drifting in and out of consciousness the sound of the sirens got mixed with the image of Maca in front of the stove. The way her hips felt in her hands, the way she smelled, it was intoxicating and it was driving her to the brink of insanity. Pretending as though she wasn't affected took all of her strength and she had to get away before she got mad. Maybe she already is.The image started fading away and was replaced by the sound of a woman’s voice.

“Hey! Can you hear me?”

Zulema slowly opened her eyes, her head moving to the left where the voice was coming from. She could make out a woman standing there and her brain quickly raised the alarm bells when it registered the police uniform. Her body was hurting so bad. She mumbled something incoherent and started to climb out of the car wreck, the other woman grabbing onto her, helping her out.

“The ambulance is on their way, you should sit down”

An ambulance. A hospital. More cops. Zulema slowly shook her head which the officer took as a refusal to sit down. She tried to make her sit, her arm carefully pushing her down and Zulema, without thinking twice, reached behind herself to grab the gun attached to her pants. The surprise on the officer’s face was almost comical and Zulema would have found it amusing if she hadn’t been in so much pain.

“Give me your gun” Her voice was raspy but firm.

The officer held up her hands in surrender.

"Tranquilo" she tried to reason but Zulema did neither have the time nor the patience to stay calm.

"Give me your fucking gun!" She shouted and watched with relief as the woman slowly reached up to her holster, unfastened it and pulled out her gun. She placed it on the ground and Zulema picked it up, tucking it in the front of her pants. She then gestured for the woman to take out her handcuffs.

“Cuff yourself to the handle”

She spoke and gestured to the car wreck beside them.

The policewoman followed her instructions without complaint and without batting an eye. As Zulema turned around to start running she heard the other woman speak and her body froze in place.

“It’s you”

There was a pause before she spoke again.

“Zulema Zahir”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, so much happening in one chapter. It was exhausting to write and my heart was racing the whole time while I was writing it. Next chapter will be up soon I promise. It's basically finished but I need to make a few adjustments here and there.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I promised, here is the next chapter.

“It’s you”

There was a pause before she spoke again.

“Zulema Zahir”

Her name came off in a whisper and if Zulema didn’t know any better she would have thought that she heard a hint of admiration in the officer’s voice. She turned around slowly, green eyes meeting brown. Fuck. She would have to kill the woman. Zulema willed her legs to close the distance between them, now standing directly above the other woman. Aiming her gun at the woman’s forehead, she undid the safety and placed her finger on the trigger. The woman only stared back at her, the pistol reflecting in her dark eyes.

Zulema had expected the woman to cry and beg for her life but she only kept staring at her with unblinking eyes as though she was disbelieving of the scene in front of her. She was sitting on her knees, one hand cuffed to the car and the other resting in her lap. Somehow the sight had Zulema hesitating and after a moment she lowered the gun.

“Joder” Zulema cursed under her breath. The ambulance was rapidly approaching, she had to run now or she would be caught. She got closer and retrieved the badge attached to the woman’s hip, reading the name on the plate.

“Officer Raquel Murrillo. You tell anyone you saw me I will come after your family. Your mother, your father, everyone you love. You won’t recognise their faces once I’m done with them. Do you understand?”

The woman only kept staring at her as she quickly wiped off her fingerprints from the badge, using the sleeve of her jacket then she tossed it on the ground. She proceeded to wipe off the steering wheel and any other place where her fingerprints could be found, all the while keeping her gun aimed at the woman who was following her every movement with an unreadable expression on her face.

Feeling satisfied she’d gotten most of it she backed away and hoped her bad reputation would be enough to deter the woman from mentioning her name to anyone. She could see flashing lights in the distance and turned around and sprinted into the forest, thanking the gods that her legs were still functioning.

The pain almost had her tumbling over and Zulema could bet a million euros that her ribs were fractured. Blood was oozing out of a big gash across her forehead and she had to pause to wipe it away. Running in the direction of the van she estimated that it would take her approximately twenty minutes to get there, maybe longer in this state. She fished out her cell phone and dialed the only number registered and prayed that the blonde wouldn’t choose this day to ignore her. She sighed in relief when she heard the blonde’s voice.

“Prepare the van, we have to move”

“What happened?” She could hear the panic in the other woman’s voice.

“Car crash. I’ll explain more later, get ready”

Maca knew the drill. It wasn’t the first time she had received a phone call like that. They only called each other in emergency situations and she had felt her heart skip a beat when she had heard the sound of the ringtone. Now she was hurrying to fold the sun chairs that she had casually thrown from the roof of the van. She gathered all the shit they had spread out into a black plastic bag, bottles and cigarette packages littering the garden table. Maca felt a sting of disappointment at having to leave this place. It had been perfect, close to the beach and not too far from the city. Now they probably had to lay low for a while, depending on how deep in trouble Zulema had gotten them.

“Damn you Zulema” Macarena cursed loudly as she dumped the bag of trash in the back of the car. It was a good thing they had decided to buy two cars. Zulema’s attention to detail was saving them both but at the same time she was the cause for them having to move yet again. Oh, the irony.

She took one last look around the perimeter and went to sit in the drivers seat, keys in the ignition, she started counting the minutes. Maca was itching to pull out her cell phone and call the brunette but refrained from doing that, knowing it would only irritate her. After what felt like hours she spotted a figure emerging from between the trees, Zulema looked close to collapsing. Maca opened the car door and sprinted towards her. She ignored the protests from the brunette as she grabbed her by the waist, supporting her.

“I can walk myself!”

“Shut up”

In spite of Zulema’s protests she allowed the blonde to continue supporting her and they half ran together to the car, Maca depositing Zulema unceremoniously in the passenger seat. She could hear the sirens now and the reality of the situation hit her like a brick. The image of the prison walls at Cruz del Norte appeared before her, the dank and dirty cells and the smell of mold hitting her senses. It was enough to send her heart into an unsteady rhythm and she hurried back to her driver’s seat. As they made it to the main road Macarena was well over the speed limit and she quickly glanced over at her partner who was unusually silent.

“Put your seatbelt on!” She admonished the other woman while checking the rearview mirror for any signs of the police.

“Worried about me Rubia?” Zulema chuckled and ignored the order. She grimaced from the pain, wondering how many ribs were cracked. Two? Three? Stupid deer.

Macarena inhaled sharply before answering.

“You got us into this mess so just do as I fucking say before I dump you on the sidewalk!”

“Jesus, fine, if it makes you happy” Zulema muttered and managed to fasten the seat belt with some difficulty.

“Maca?” she said after a few minutes of silence.

“Yes?”

“Don’t ever have kids”

Maca glanced over at the brunette, seeing she small upturn at the corner of her lips. Then they both began to laugh, Zulema’s laughter mixed with groans of pain.  
After driving for a couple of hours they stopped at a gas station to get gas, Maca putting on her wig and sunglasses. She paid in cash and bought a few chocolate bars and some water.  
She tossed the chocolate bars in Zulema’s lap and unscrewed the cork to the bottle, taking large gulps of water. Sensing the other woman watching her she handed her the bottle before fastening her seat belt and speeding off.

There was a bump in the road but Maca in her hurry to get them away from the gas station as soon as possible, missed it and she heard Zulema hiss in pain as they sped over it, the car shaking violently.

“Hija de puta” Zulema swore under her breath.

Two years ago Macarena would have taken pleasure from the other woman being in pain. She felt none of that today.

“Sorry” Maca mumbled and was surprised that she actually meant it. When did it get this way? When did she start to care?

They drove in silence for another few hours before stopping at the outskirts of a forest, in the middle of nowhere. Maca climbed out of her seat and helped Zulema out of hers. They made it into the van where Zulema sat down on the bed, her body slumped forward. She watched as the blonde rummaged through the cabinet, retrieving some cotton pads, bandages and a bottle of disinfectant. The bed dipped down as she sat down next to Zulema and began to pour the alcohol onto the cotton.

“So care to tell me what happened?” She asked while she started dabbing the wound on Zulema’s forehead. Zulema winced slightly from the pain but other than that she sat still.

“There was a deer”

Macarena waited for the brunette to explain further and when no explanation came forth she sighed loudly. She cleaned the wound as best as she could and started to wrap the other woman’s forehead with bandages, speaking up.

“I was really beginning to like that place”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you going to miss Marco?”

That was a low blow and Maca reacted before she could think twice. She slapped Zulema across the face, hard. Zulema stretched her jaw but didn’t say anything.

“You’re a fucking bitch you know that?” Maca got up from the bed, standing in front of her. Zulema looked up at the blonde, the left side of her face now sporting a bruise.

“So I’ve been told”

Their eyes were locked and the tension grew thick as both of them were contemplating the next move. Zulema slowly got up, towering over the blonde. Her fingers were itching to touch the woman in front of her. In that moment she didn’t know what she preferred, to hurt her or to finally fuck her like she’d been fantasizing about. Her right hand reached out to grab her neck. Zulema didn’t get to do either as she felt her eyes roll back in her head and she fell back on the mattress with a soft thud. Maca watched with her eyebrows raised as the other woman fainted right in front of her, the pain and loss of adrenaline probably finally having caught up with her. Shaking her head in disbelief she gathered the supplies and put them back in the cabinet. In spite of everything, she kept glancing towards the bed just to make sure that Zulema’s chest was still rising and falling.

The sun was rising over the horizon and Maca fought to keep her eyes open. She had been awake all night, sitting at the kitchen table, trying not to nod off. Her eyes kept drifting to the woman still asleep on the bed. Finally she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer and she got up from the chair with a sigh. Her eyes darted to the medicine cabinet. Zulema would be in terrible pain once she woke up. Serves her right. But as her eyes drifted to the woman currently lying on the bed, her mouth slightly open, her left hand clutching her side even in her sleep, she felt her anger ebb away. Grabbing a pack of painkillers she filled a glass with water and left it on the nightstand. Maca then cautiously occupied the space next to Zulema, careful not to make too much movement. She lied down, facing the opposite direction.  
As she closed her eyes she could hear the steady breathing of the older woman, the sound lulling her to sleep.  
\--

Zulema immediately regretted waking up once her body registered the pain. Pain in her ribs, in her abdomen, her head, her face. Her eyes fluttered open and she gazed at the ceiling until she heard a soft snore. Turning her head she was met with the sight of Macarena lying next to her, blonde tresses obscuring part of her face. Her mouth was open and there was a small puddle of drool on the pillow below her mouth. Zulema did absolutely not find it endearing and she did definitely not have to restrain herself from reaching out to brush her hair from her face. Instead she brought her hand up to cover her own face, her palm facing up.

Not only was she stuck with unwanted feelings, now she was also facing the police. It was a failure and Zulema wanted to punch something in frustration. She regretted not killing the woman. The old Zulema wouldn’t have hesitated but then the old Zulema would probably never partner with the blonde. She didn’t know whether that was good or bad.  
Zulema would’ve stayed in bed if she didn’t need to use the restroom so badly. She sat up with a groan and immediately spotted the glass of water and the painkillers next to the bed. The gesture wasn’t lost on her and she felt gratitude towards the woman sleeping next to her. Taking two pills Zulema swallowed them and carefully got up from the bed.  
\--

Raquel Murrillo had been an officer for 3,5 years and she could count the times she had been handcuffed to a car. Zero. As she sat there on the ground the faces of her mother and father appeared before her as well as her sister and her sister’s child. She barely noticed the sheriff running towards her, her mind occupied with thoughts of the wanted criminal.

“Murrillo! Are you alright?”

Raquel slowly looked at the man crouched before her.

“Uncuff me”

The sheriff wasted no time in setting her free and Raquel rubbed her wrist and stood up on shaking legs. She looked back at at the spot where Zulema had disappeared.

“What happened? Who did this?”

Raquel opened her mouth to respond. The images of her family came back to the surface only now they were stained crimson. Her mother and father, their faces in torment, her sister and her child, covered in a pool of blood.

“I don’t know”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are they out of danger though..?
> 
> I’ve never had my ribs broken but I’ve had them bruised once (a big purple bruise from being accidentally slammed into a table while dancing LOL) and I remember that hurting a lot for several weeks. So I’m guessing that Zulema is in a deep load of pain right now. Good thing she has Maca right? 😉


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your awesome reviews and your praise on twitter. You guys really make my day. I almost lost this chapter because I accidentally erased it but THANK GOD I had it on the cloud so it was still there. It's a wonder I am getting by in life being the clutz that I am.
> 
> Chapter warning: Major angst and fluff ahead.

”Could you stop staring out the window for just one minute?” 

Zulema ignored the comment, her eyes fixed on the road outside. She was sitting against the wall on the bed, her head leaning against the window. With every minute that passed by she could feel her chest constricting more and more with anxiety. They could appear at any second and Zulema would rather die than go back to prison. Her brooding was only interrupted when she felt something hit the side of her head and she looked down to see a folded piece of paper resting in her lap. 

Raising one eyebrow at the blonde who was sitting at the table sipping her tea innocently, Zulema picked up the paper and unfolded it. _Stop being paranoid._  
The brunette sighed and tossed the paper aside. It had been three days since they came here, wherever here was. Three days of utter silence, neither of them daring to go any further than the porch. If Zulema wasn’t already crazy she was slowly getting there. Sensing a presence she looked up to see Maca standing next to the bed, her lips formed in a pout. 

“I’m bored” 

Zulema darted her eyes from side to side before responding.

“Me too” 

Maca plopped down on the bed next to her, leaning on her elbow. She started tracing the patterns on the blanket with her finger. 

“What do we do?” The question was more to herself than the brunette who simply shrugged her shoulders. 

“What would you like to do?” Zulema peered down at the blonde lying next to her. 

Maca inhaled deeply before sitting up, now facing her. 

“We can play “never have I ever” She suggested only to have Zulema look at her as though she had grown a third head. 

“Are we in high school now?” 

“Well what would you suggest we do?” Maca reached out to pluck a hair from Zulema’s arm that had been sitting there, annoying her.

“Fine, you start” She conceded. 

Grinning, Maca got up from the bed and retrieved a bottle of whiskey. Zulema made a grimace, knowing she would most likely come to regret this decision in the morning. 

“Never have I ever slept with a prison guard” 

They both chuckled and took a swig from the bottle. 

“Ok my turn” Zulema spoke, now holding the bottle. “Never have I ever ridden a wild animal” 

Maca snorted in laughter as the brunette proceeded to drink from the whiskey. 

“Que coño? How the hell did that happen?” She conjured an image in her head of Zulema riding a wild tiger, it was so bizarre she let out another chuckle. Zulema licked her lips while contemplating how best to explain her story. 

“Well. It was me and Hanbal.. we were fleeing, I don’t remember exactly where and we spotted wild horses. I made a bet with him that I could ride one. I managed to sneak up on one that was lying down and grab it by its mane. I think it took me about 1,5 seconds before I was thrown off. I was bruised for weeks”

Maca could barely contain the laughter that was fighting to bubble up to the surface. She studied the other woman, realising there was still so much she didn’t know about her, about her past. It left her with a feeling of emptiness and she wondered briefly if anyone had ever taken the time or interest to get to know the real Zulema. She really hoped so. 

“You’re really something, you know that?” 

Zulema had been staring at a spot outside the window but she quickly turned her head at those words, looking deeply into her eyes. Macarena was mesmerized by the amount of emotion they held and she subconsciously wetted her lips. She leaned forward, overcome by the need to close the gap between them but felt a pair of fingers stopping her, pressing against her lips.

“Rubia” Zulema’s voice was deep and husky and Maca felt her body shiver in response. “Whatever you feel for me, it isn’t real” 

“What do you mean “it isn’t real””? The blonde asked, her voice an octave higher. She sat up straight and watched as Zulema gathered herself before proceeding with her explanation.

“You’re not in love with me. You love the danger that accompanies me, not me” 

Macarena had to hold back from punching the other woman. She felt herself begin to shake in anger.

“What the fuck do you know about my feelings? Huh?!” 

She picked up a pillow and threw it at the brunette who didn’t respond. 

“You’re right. How can anyone love a bitch like you?” 

Maca regretted the words the moment they left her lips and she felt her heart shatter at the sight of Zulema’s expression. She wanted to take the words back but it was too late. Zulema worried her lower lip between her teeth.

“Yeah” She said, her gaze drifting back to the window. 

\--

Raquel took one glance at her kitchen and sighed. She really needed to clean. Picking up the pans from the counter she placed them in the sink and started doing the dishes while letting the water flow in a steady stream. Today had been exhausting, having to mediate between a couple whose fighting could be heard miles away and then having to deal with a disappointed buyer of drugs. Raquel couldn’t believe her ears as the man had continued to complain about getting scammed. She had sighed and then promptly arrested him, all the while wondering silently to herself how the earth could populate such imbeciles. The only good thing about having a busy day was that her mind was too busy to think of her previous encounter with a wanted criminal. Whenever she closed her eyes she could see her face; the long dark hair, the heavy eyeliner contouring her eyes and the way she had sounded when making the threats to her family, like a hissing snake. The scene kept going on repeat in her head and the more she tried not to think about it the more she thought about it. 

The first year of being a cop, Raquel had assisted the detectives with a case of bank robbers. The robbers had consisted of seven people and she had been incredibly close to catching one of them, the man literally slipping through her fingers at the last minute. Raquel then devoted all of her spare time trying to catch him and in the end she did.  
It wasn’t just fear that had kept her from reporting the wanted woman to her superiors. Raquel Murrillo was a very ambitious woman. She wanted to catch the criminals herself. If she hadn’t fucked up last year she would’ve been a detective already. 

Abandoning the dishes Raquel went to her living room and sat down in the sofa. She picked up her laptop and went in on the police departments intranet, searching for a specific name.  
It didn’t take long for her to find what she was looking for. Her last recent picture was from a heist six months ago at a casino. She instantly recognised the tear tattoo. It really was her. She can’t believe that she actually bumped into Zulema fucking Zahir, in a car crash nonetheless. She remembers seeing her on the news with her fellow colleagues and one of them making a remark.

“That puta is probably on Aruba or something by now” 

The other guys had agreed and went back to doing whatever they had been doing. Raquel remembers thinking that Aruba would be nice and that she wouldn’t mind going there. Zulema wasn’t in Aruba though, she was in Spain and Raquel was going to catch her. She had made the decision the moment she denied knowing her name but it took her three days before she actually managed to take the next step. She needed to go back to the site of the crash. 

\--

They didn’t speak the rest of the day. Zulema continued staring out the window while Maca was outside doing god knows what. They had been taking turns sleeping and it was Zulema’s turn to sleep soon. The medication made her drowsy and she longed to crawl under the covers and catch some z’s. Macarena was sitting in the chair on the roof of the van, smoking a cigarette. She was aching to go out and have fun but Zulema had insisted they stay in the van for at least a week. Four days left of being cramped in a tiny place with her enemy. Wonderful.  
Taking one last drag she flung the cigarette butt away and got up from the chair, stretching her limbs. 

She wanted to check in on the other woman but something held her back. Maca had been ready to take the next step in their relationship and she had been positive that Zulema was feeling the same but now she wasn’t so sure. Had she been reading the signals wrong? It was all very confusing, being around the brunette confused her. So she needed space, needed to stay away from her for a while.  
Which was easier said than done when they were both forced to occupy a space of 20 sqm. Macarena checked her wristwatch. 7 hours until she could sleep. She sat back down in the chair with a sigh.  
Zulema had expected Macarena to check in on her which she had been doing the last two nights, changing her bandages and cleaning the wound. When there was no sign of the blonde and the clock turned 11 she gave up and went to the bathroom, brushing her teeth. She carefully undid the bandages and checked the gash on her forehead. It was healing nicely. She proceeded to clean and rebandage the wound herself and changed into a large T-shirt to sleep in. Every movement caused her tremendous pain and she groaned in relief when she could finally lie down on her back.  
When she closed her eyes she was brought back to the moment earlier today where Maca had tried to kiss her. Zulema wasn’t blind. She had seen the stolen glances when she thought Zulema wasn’t looking. She had noticed the way Maca tensed up whenever she was near and the way her body shivered with a single touch. 

Crossing that line would change everything though and Zulema wasn’t ready or willing to sacrifice everything they had built up on some stupid crush. No, she did not regret her actions today and she knew that the blonde didn’t mean the words she said about her being impossible to love. Right now they both had more pressing matters to tend to, the cops sniffing their trail.  
If it wasn’t for Zulema they wouldn’t be in this situation. She had decided to drive after drinking. Had decided to be reckless for once in her fucking lifetime and that was enough to have everything come crashing down. She was almost certain that the police officer wasn’t going to heed her warning and that she will be woken by two dozen cops surrounding them. After nearly two hours of brooding and worrying Zulema finally fell into a light, restless sleep. 

Macarena checked her watch again. It was midnight. She climbed down the ladder and went inside the trailer since it was getting cold outside. Closing the door she removed her boots and checked to see if Zulema was asleep which she appeared to be. She went to the stove to make some tea and grabbed a book and sat by the table. Pretty soon she was immersed in her reading and didn’t close her book until the first rays of sunlight appeared through the window. Stifling a yawn she got up and made herself ready for bed.  
When she approached the bed Zulema was still fast asleep, lying perfectly still on her back with her arms on each side of her body. Macarena remembers their first night together in the van. It had been the definition of awkward. They weren’t shy or any of that sort but the bed wasn’t very big and Maca liked to stretch out when she was sleeping and Zulema liked to hog the blanket. She remembers the way her cold feet had accidentally made contact with Zulema’s leg and the brunette kicking her. In the end they bought separate blankets and slowly they both got used to not taking up too much space. Maca had to curl up a bit more than she would have liked but at least that prevented her from waking up in the middle of the night by being shoved off the bed.  
Sharing a bed with Zulema was difficult, and that was an understatement. But right now she looked so peaceful sleeping that none of that seemed to matter. Maca stretched out her hand to wake the other woman but her hand seemed to have another idea as it softly brushed her cheek. Realising what she was doing Maca quickly retrieved her hand and hoped that Zulema wasn’t awake. A moment after she saw the brunette open her eyes slowly, her eyes adjusting to the light. 

“Morning” Maca didn’t know what to say so she tried to just be civil. “How’s your head?” 

Zulema blinked the sleep from her eyes then looked at the blonde in front of her. 

“I think I’m dying” She said in a serious tone, bringing a look of confusion and worry on the younger woman’s face. Zulema then broke into a grin, letting her know she was only messing with her and Maca snorted. 

“Funny.. “ She settled into the bed, crawling in under the covers and turned towards Zulema who was still lying next to her. 

“If you die I will bring you back from the dead and then I will kill you myself” She spoke and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to admit that I cried a little bit when writing this chapter. Just a bit.
> 
> What did you think of this chapter? Is your heart also bursting with emotions like mine?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raquel is grey in my fanfic, meaning she will do some bad things

The car wreck had been brought to evidence but since the investigators couldn’t find anything they had closed the case. Raquel was now back at the crash site, facing the tree that had caused the collision, standing in front of it with her hands on her hips. Some of the branches had come off and was lying on the road. 

Taking a step back, Raquel traced the steps to where Zulema had disappeared into the forest. She had seen her run east, towards the coast. The police officer couldn’t believe her luck, there were still footprints in the mud from where the woman had been running. Taking careful steps Raquel started trekking through the forest, the trees getting thicker the further she went. The air was warmer in here and she had to remover her coat, feeling her body temperature rising. 

After having walked for a while the mud trail was fading and Raquel stopped for a minute to check her surroundings. She noticed some trampled bushes and broken twigs, taking a chance in that direction. 

Following a straight path Raquel soon found herself in a clearing and one look at the site told her she was at the right spot. She could see the marks from two sets of wheels on the ground. They were getting by with a trailer. She found another set and concluded that they also had another car. Taking photographs of the marks and the surroundings Raquel followed the tracks of the wheels a bit until she reached the road. 

She would have to check the cameras on every gas station in this direction. Putting away her phone she started making her way back to her car, now more determined than ever to bring that woman back behind bars where she belonged.  
\--  
Zulema tries to sit perfectly still as Macarena unwraps the bandages around her head but strands of hair get caught in it and when the blonde tugs at it the brunette flinches. Muttering an apology Maca removes the bandage carefully and inspects the wound. It looks much better and there is no sign of infection but it will still need proper care.

“I’m gonna clean it one last time and then put a  
compress on it” 

“Alright nurse Ferreiro” Zulema answers sarcastically, earning a light slap on the shoulder from the other woman who chuckles. 

“Wouldn’t you love that? Me in a nurse’s uniform?” Macarena winks at her while getting the compress and tape. 

“You would look ridiculous” Zulema responds but the image of Maca wearing white, thigh high stockings has entered her mind and she can’t quite shake it out of her head. 

The blonde gives her a lopsided grin as she orders Zulema to remove her hair from her forehead and the brunette obeys. Maca cleans the wound carefully and then her eyes momentarily drift down to lock with dark green ones that are currently watching her. 

“Thank you” 

It takes a few moments for Macarena to register the words coming out of the other woman’s mouth and when she does, she smiles softly. Getting a thank you from Zulema was a rare treat. With a smile still etched on her face she grabs the compress and presses it onto the wound. 

“Hold it” She orders Zulema to hold onto it while grabbing the gauze tape, ripping off a piece from the holder. Careful not to get any hairs caught she applies it onto the compress, keeping it in place.  
She takes a step back to inspect her job and nods to herself. 

“Well done nurse Ferreiro” she compliments herself and sees the way Zulema grimaces in pain as she stands up. Maca bites her lower lip in contemplation before asking.

“Can I take a look?” she asks, gesturing to Zulema’s midsection. Macarena is not sure she can do anything about her ribs but she still wants to inspect the damage. Zulema shrugs in response and Maca takes that as a yes, lifting up her shirt carefully, stopping right below her breasts. 

Zulema’s ribs are covered in bruises of all colors and Macarena has a newfound respect for the other woman who has kept her complaining to a minimum. She is not sure she would have managed that well herself. 

“Don’t look so horrified Rubia. It will heal” 

The realisation that Zulema is trying to reassure her has her wondering how worried she must have looked and she is all of a sudden filled with a strange need to hug the other woman. Instead she lowers the T-shirt, swallowing hard. 

The next morning Zulema finds herself standing by the stove, frying some mini-sausages that Maca had found in the freezer. She hears the bathroom door open and the blonde emerges, wearing a bathrobe and a towel on her head. She walks up next to Zulema and sneaks a sausage from the pan, chewing it with loud enthusiasm. 

“Mm, these are good” 

Zulema only nods in response as the smell of shampoo and soap invades her senses. She notices that the tie around the blonde’s robe is coming loose and feels her pulse quickening at the amount of skin currently on display. Macarena either isn’t aware that she is almost exposing her chest or she is doing it on purpose. 

“Get dressed before you get cold Rubia” Zulema says, trying to block out the image of a pale, naked chest and removes the pan from the stove. She turns around to get some bread from the pantry. When she spins back around she nearly jumps in surprise. Maca is now standing barely an inch in front of her, her face wearing a neutral expression. 

“What?” Zulema asks, curious as to what the blonde is being up to.

“We’re out of shampoo” 

Macarena says matter-of-factly and drops the empty bottle of shampoo in the trash but not before grazing her arm lightly against Zulema’s chest. At first Zulema ponders how to retaliate but then she turns around and pretends to be busy setting the table when Maca drops the robe to get dressed. The game they are playing is dangerous and Zulema doesn’t know how long she can keep up the pretence. I’ts mentally draining and she already has too much in her head. If Maca keeps dangling herself in front of her like she does now Zulema is not certain that she will be able to resist taking a bite. 

Already she can feel her fingertips tingling and she steals a glance at the blonde who is now in her underwear, facing the bed. Her eyes trace the curve of her hips and her ass and she briefly wonders what the other woman’s skin would taste like and how it would feel against her tongue. Zulema can’t remember the last time she wanted someone so badly. 

Maca finishes getting dressed and joins her at the table, her damp hair hanging limply around her shoulders. Zulema tries not to stare but the small smirk on the blonde’s lips tells her that Maca knows exactly what she’s been thinking about.  
\--

Having collected the surveillance tapes from five different gas stations Raquel started her pc.  
The thought of getting to catch one of the most wanted criminals in Spain had her reeling with excitement and she sincerely hoped that her last hours of work had not been in vain. 

She watched through the first two tapes from that day, looking out for any type of trailer. She hit jackpot with the third tape. As the door to the driver’s seat opened Raquel nearly gasped as she recognized the brown haired woman she had encountered back when she had been searching for the assailant of the young man at the beach. She remembered the description of the assailant; a woman dressed all in black with dark hair.

“It was her.. shit” She chuckled, disappointed in herself for not having made the connection sooner. Raquel watched as the woman obviously wearing a wig paid for the gas and sped off. This had to be her partner in crime, Macarena Ferreiro. She had appeared on the news alongside Zulema, wearing a cocky grin showing off pearly white teeth. So they were still together apparently. Raquel briefly wondered at the nature of their relationship but quickly put that thought aside as that wasn’t important right now. Right now she had to find a way to pinpoint their exact location. They had to be going somewhere secluded, somewhere far from civilisation.

It could be anywhere. Raquel knew she would have to dig further if she were to be able to find them and she couldn’t neglect her usual work as a police officer. This was something she would have to do on her free time. Closing the video Raquel started looking through the list of inmates that Zulema had done time with, her eyes getting caught on a pair of dark brown eyes. She checked the last name; Vargas.  
\--  
Zulema was lying in bed, solving a crossword puzzle from a magazine that Macarena had managed to snatch from the store. She was grateful to do something to occupy her mind other than reading, not being able to focus enough to take in the story. A week had now passed since the incident and she was beginning to think that maybe they were out of the crossfire. A chime interrupted her musings and both Zulema and Macarena’s eyes darted to the phone lying on the nightstand.  
Maca reached it faster, unlocking the screen she got a puzzled look on her face. 

“What is it?” Zulema couldn’t contain her annoyance at the blonde’s silence and gestured for her to give her the phone. “Give me the phone!” 

“It’s.. “ Maca saw a pair of hands reach out and snatch the phone from her before she had time to respond.  
Zulema read the text message over and over, trying to wrap her head around it. It was a text from Saray. The only other person who had her number. She wanted to meet up, saying she might have a job for the three of them. Saray had been out of prison for what, two days? She must’ve planned it behind bars. 

“Are you going to respond?” She could hear the blonde ask and Zulema realised that she had already decided as soon as she saw the message from her old friend.  
\--  
Saray fires off the text with a sigh then shows it to the woman currently holding her at gunpoint. 

“There. Happy?” 

“Ecstatic, now give me your phone” 

Raquel knows what she is doing is wrong but the time for morale was long gone. She hasn’t played by the books for a long time as that never brings her close to her enemies. If her enemies were playing dirty she had no choice but to play dirty too. It wasn’t something she took pride in and when she sees the look of defeat on the younger woman’s face she wishes she could do this differently but this is the only way. 

“Now remember, it won’t be hard for me to have your daughter taken away from you. If I find out you warned them I will not hesitate to make that happen” 

The look on Saray’s face was of utter contempt but she didn’t retaliate. The only person she loved more than Zulema was her daughter and this bitch had taken advantage of that knowledge and used it for her own gain. She felt tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes and lets them spill as she watches the other woman get up and walk away. 

Raquel trembles when she walks away but she prays that the other woman doesn’t notice. She needs her to think that Raquel is dirty and will do whatever it takes, including separating a mother from her daughter but in truth she would never do something like that. She had not missed the state of the apartment that the former inmate was forced to live in, very much below the average standard and she made a mental note to send the woman an envelope with some money later on. Anonymously of course.

Checking the phone she was relieved to see a message. Zulema had responded. Unlocking the screen she read the text, a smile forming on her lips.

_“Vale. Tell me the date and the time and I’ll be there”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter but I had to split it in two or it would be too long. Next chapter will be posted shortly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer to compensate for the previous one.  
> I hope you will like it;)

The first thing Raquel sees when she wakes up is a vaguely familiar face, except there are blonde long waves surrounding it. It takes her exactly three seconds to realise that she is tied to a chair and that her plan has gone entirely to shit. She has a splitting headache and is launched into a memory of walking into a small room, her gun drawn then being attacked from behind.  
The blonde’s mouth is moving and she has to focus to listen to what she is saying. 

“Hey, can you hear me?” 

Raquel nods faintly. How long was she out? She glances around the place and realises she is inside their trailer. There is no sign of Zulema.  
The blonde is sitting on a chair across from her, a gun in her lap. She is looking at her as though she is trying to figure out a puzzle, her forehead stuck in a frown. 

“Why did you come alone?” She finally asks, her curiosity getting the better of her. Raquel lowers her gaze to the floor, determined not to make any conversation. Silence fills the air and the only thing that can be heard is the steady pit pat of the rain outside. It ends abruptly with the door opening and Zulema storming in. 

“We have to move, cops are coming” 

“What are we gonna do about her?” Maca gestures to the woman currently tied to their chair.

“Put her in the trunk”

Raquel is then gagged and dragged out of the van but not without loud protests and Maca earns a kick to the head when she tries to make her lie still in the trunk. She winces and groans in pain but Zulema is there by her side in an instant, steadying her and then smacks Raquel across the face with her gun.

“Do that again and I’ll shoot you, vale?” She threatens, pointing her gun at the other woman’s forehead who immediately stills. She closes the trunk and they settle into the car. 

3 hours earlier

Macarena quietly observes as Zulema walks rather stiffly in front of her to the car. The brunette had insisted on going to meet Saray in spite of Maca pointing out that it was too soon. They had ended up arguing but of course Zulema won in the end, she usually did. Maca didn’t like the idea but she had to admit that she was curious. What kind of job could the gitana be offering them? She really had no idea and she wondered briefly if Zulema even knew what she was doing.

“If you get us into trouble again I swear I will kill you” Maca mutters as she closes the car door after plopping down in the passenger seat. 

“Give me the keys” Zulema holds out her hand, ignoring the comment. Maca deposits the keychain in her hand and sighs. 

“Can you at least tell me where we are going?” 

“These are the coordinates” Zulema throws her cell phone into the other woman’s lap, the text from Saray displayed on the screen. Maca looks up the coordinates on google maps and it seems to be an abandoned barnhouse in the middle of nowhere.

“I don’t like this Zulema” 

Maca puts on her sunglasses and rolls down the window, letting the air flow in. She has a bad feeling about this but she can’t quite put her finger on why, after all Saray is one of the few people that can be trusted. 

“Good thing I don’t care whether you like it or not” Zulema replies before turning on the radio, effectively shutting up any eventual response from the other woman. 

\--

Checking her pockets one more time Raquel makes sure she has everything; her phone, her keys, her gun, her wallet and a pack of cigarettes. She has foregone the uniform and is wearing a pair of grey cargo pants and a black tank top. Pulling on her jeans jacket she then pulls her hair into a ponytail and puts on a black cap.  
She takes one last look around her apartment, checking the stove and the lights before she steps out, locking the door. Her neighbour Lana greets her and Raquel greets her back but is quick not to let it turn into a conversation because then she would never get away in time. She walks to the parking lot with brisk steps and is surprised by how calm she is.  
The drive to their meeting point feels like forever even though it’s barely an hour from her apartment. She chose the location because she’s been there before and knows it’s perfect. Raquel hasn’t really thought about what to do after she’s caught the women, her thoughts never steering that far.  
All she knows is that she won’t be able to get them out of her head until they are safely put behind bars. It’s become an obsession, one that has her heart beating wildly with anticipation and she can’t think of anything else. 

The first time Raquel had laid her eyes on Zulema she had been struck by her beauty. How could someone so evil be so beautiful? She was aware that one trait didn’t cancel out the other but she was still baffled by the murderess’ looks. Raquel thinks that she will be happy to look that fresh when at her age.  
Spotting the barn Raquel slows down and comes to a halt a few metres before the entrance. She checks her phone to reread her last text message to her coworker Angel, letting him know of her whereabouts and to call reinforcements if he didn’t hear from her. She had not mentioned their names, knowing that would lead to the whole fucking police squad taking over and this was her catch. Plus, if Zulema and Macarena didn’t show up she would have made a fool of herself, again. 

Her plan was this; she had texted Zulema to meet her at the exact coordinates, inside a small room connected to the barn. They will not be prepared to find Raquel in the room, waiting with a fully loaded pistol and a tazer. It would incapacitate them long enough for her to cuff them and if not she wouldn’t hesitate to shoot them in the leg.  
But when she nears the entrance her ears pick up a noise. It sounds like someone crying for help. Confused, she darts her eyes around the place before entering with her gun held out in front of her. The sound is coming from the small room to the left. Raquel can’t locate the light switch in the dark and she squints her eyes, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness.  
She accidentally kicks over a bucket, the sound of metal against the floor reverberating through the walls. Cursing under her breath she feels her body breaking into a sweat and she has to remind herself to stay calm. 

Cocking the gun Raquel stops right outside the room, the sound can now be heard clearly, of a woman crying for help. Before her mind can conjure all kinds of scenarios she pushes open the door and checks the room from top to bottom. I’ts completely empty save for a chair in the middle.  
I’ts undeniably a trap but Raquel can feel her legs moving on their own, until she sees the phone. She takes another glance around the room before she picks it up. It’s a video. A random video of a woman screaming for help. Raquel swirls around but she isn’t quick enough and she only catches a glimpse of her attacker before she is struck on the head and she falls down, unconscious. 

\--

Zulema watches the woman crumble before her and she lowers the gun. The officer will be suffering from a headache when she wakes up but other than that she should be fine. She calls for Maca who’s been waiting outside, the blonde appearing next to her within seconds, a baffled look on her face.

“What the fuck Zulema?” 

Zulema might have left out some details about this meeting to the other woman who is now looking at her, her face twisted in anger.

“Tell me what’s going on right now!” The blonde demands. She recognises the woman from being the same cop who knocked on their door before. 

“Help me with her, I will tell you” 

Zulema tries to crouch down to pick the woman up but she only groans in pain and looks up at Maca with her eyebrows raised when she doesn’t move from her spot. 

“Please?” Zulema tries. 

Somehow they manage to carry the woman to the van where they drop her on the kitchen chair. Zulema takes the officer’s handcuffs and cuffs her hands together behind the chair and then orders Maca to use rope to tie her feet together. 

“This is a stubborn one, can’t be too cautious” Zulema says while making sure the ropes are tight enough.

“Zulema..” 

Zulema finishes her inspection and turns to Maca who is watching her sceptically. 

“What?” 

“What are we doing? Why did we bring her here?” 

Zulema runs a hand through her hair before she starts emptying Raquels pockets, stripping her of everything she has brought with her. 

“Rubia.. she came alone. What does that tell you?” 

Maca darts her eyes from side to side, thinking. Zulema responds before she can even utter a word.

“It tells us that she hasn’t told anyone she saw me. She’s the only one who knows about us”

With those words she walks towards the door. 

“Where are you going?” 

“To clear the barn from any evidence. I’ll be back soon” She reassures the blonde who plops down on the other chair, cursing under her breath. 

\--

The present

Macarena watches the country road swirling by, her forehead leaning against the car window. It seems they were really in trouble this time and one question keeps lingering in her mind, begging to be answered. She steals a glance at Zulema who is driving in silence, her eyes on the road ahead. Both her hands are on the steering wheel and she looks tense and weary, bags forming under her eyes. 

“Stop staring and just ask” Zulema breaks the silence, her eyes still on the road. The sun is setting low in the sky and she has to squint her eyes to keep herself from getting blinded by it.  
Maca sees her struggle and opens the glove compartment to retrieve a pair of sunglasses which she hands over to the brunette. 

“Gracias” Zulema thanks her and puts them on. It strikes her how familiar they’ve become with one another, how they can read each other so well it’s almost frightening. The worrying look on her partner’s face tells her everything and she can feel the tension rising in the air.

“What actually happened Zulema? Why was this cop there?” 

Zulema bites her cheek, already knowing the outcome of this conversation. 

“I went out drinking. Then I drove home. There was a deer, then a tree. I blacked out” 

She lets her words sink in before she continues. 

“When I woke up she was there. I cuffed her to the car. She recognized me. I ran, and then I called you”  
Macarena had been sitting quietly, listening to Zulema retelling the events from a week ago. They were damn unlucky. Then she reacted on something Zulema had said.

“How much did you drink?” 

Zulema scoffed at her question and willed her eyes to stay on the road even though she wanted to stare the other woman down.

“Does it matter?”

She could feel Maca’s eyes on her and gave her a quick side glance. The look of anxiety was still etched on her features and Zulema wants to believe it’s because of something else rather than the cops being on their trail. Maca swallows, her mind forming vivid images of a wrecked car, a trapped figure inside, blood everywhere. They make her head spin and she suddenly feels like throwing up, her stomach twisting in pain. It takes her a moment to realise that it’s the image of Zulema, dead, that has her feeling this way and it makes her want to cry. It takes her another moment to realise that she already is crying, a lone tear sneaking its way down to rest on her upper lip. She wipes it away and pretends to get something in her eye when she feels another tear start to form, hoping the action won’t get caught by the woman sitting next to her.

Zulema either doesn’t notice or pretends not to notice. Either way Macarena is grateful and she takes a long breath to calm herself down. 

“Are you okay Rubia?” 

Maca sniffs and nods. 

“How is your head?” Zulema asks, her voice soft. Macarena smiles and touches her head where a small bump has formed.

“It’s alright. Just a small bump” She responds and hesitates before continuining. “Thank you.. for having my back”

Zulema is not used to being thanked and she responds by shrugging her shoulders. More than anything else, she had expected the blonde to get angry and blame her for getting them in this situation. 

“No need to thank me” 

When they reach their hiding place close to the woods Raquel is again tied to the chair in their little kitchen. She is still gagged and is following their every movement with her eyes. 

“So I’m guessing we aren’t going to kill her?” Maca says while playing with her gun. Zulema stands next to her and grabs the gun from her in a swift movement, causing the blonde to pout.

“Not yet anyway” 

“So what, we’re just gonna hang around here, together, the three of us?” 

Raquel watches their interaction closely, from the way that Macarena is leaning slightly forward on her toes to match Zulema’s height, standing a few feet apart.  
Before Zulema has a chance to reply the blonde continues. 

“We gonna be like the famous trio and save the world together?” She says mockingly but with a hint of a smile on her face. Zulema only looks confused by the reference.

“Qué?” She honestly has no idea what the blonde is referring to but is also quite sure that she is not expected to. 

“You know? The famous trio? Harry Potter?” 

“Oh” Zulema replies, catching up. “Do I look like I would spend my time reading children’s books?” She asks and points at herself, one eyebrow raised. 

Maca pretends to take in her appearance as for the first time, her eyes wandering over her body, from top to bottom. Zulema feels her body go hot in an instant and her stomach is making flips at the way that Maca is checking her out. She has almost forgotten that there is another person in the room with them. 

“I guess not” Maca finally responds, a smirk plastered on her lips. She then brings her pointer finger to her lips while chewing on her lower lip and Zulema can feel her knees going weak at the sight.  
The moment is so intimate that Raquel has to look away, her heart picking up speed. She closes her eyes and tries to block out the image of the two women flirting, unsuccessfully. She hears Zulema saying she will take the first watch and is relieved when the blonde goes to bed, the van falling silent. 

“Now it’s just you and me cariño” Zulema says with a smile as she takes her seat. Raquel opens her eyes and they lock with the brunette’s. They stare at one another, neither saying a word until Raquel gives up and closes her eyes again, thinking of her mother and father and how they will cry when she’s gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this chapter for various reasons.  
> Please let me know what you think!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I want to thank everyone for your kudos and your kind reviews. It makes me so happy to know that you are loving this story and I wish I could spend all my time writing but that's not how life works unfortunately ;)

When Raquel open her eyes again a minute later, Zulema is still looking at her. Raquel is quickly drawn into the dark orbs and she can’t look away even if she wants to. She has to admit; this woman fascinates her. She feels her face growing hot under Zulema’s scrutinizing gaze and is thankful that the lights are off.

Zulema lights a cigarette, her eyes only leaving the other woman for a moment. Taking a long drag she exhales deeply, the smoke drifting towards Raquel who doesn’t bat an eye. Zulema offers her a drag which Raquel refuses, her head shaking no.

“Tell me” Zulema speaks quietly. “What exactly went through your head when you decided to trick us?”

Raquel is still gagged and only keeps glaring at her. Zulema sees right through her façade and decides to toy with her a bit. She gets up and walks around the table until she is standing right in front of the other woman and crouches down until their eyes are at the same level. Zulema can see her pulse quickening and feels a surge of elation at the power she currently holds over her. She takes another drag of her cigarette and blows the smoke into Raquels’ face whose eyes narrow but other than that she doesn’t react. Zulema chuckles, a deep chuckle that sends shivers down Raquels’ spine but she forces herself to keep eye contact, not backing down from whatever challenge the other woman is throwing her way. She watches as Zulema’s hands come up to remove the gag, the fabric now resting around her neck.

“I wonder..” Zulema speaks again, her hand coming up to stroke the other woman’s cheek. “If you came here because you wanted to catch me..” She proceeds to drag her thumb up to Raquels’ lower lip, the woman watching her intensely, not moving an inch. “Or if you came here …. because you wanted me to catch you” At the last word she uses her thumb to drag her lip down to expose her bottom teeth, then lets it go, Raquel’s mouth staying half open. 

“I don’t know what kind of make-believe world you live in, but I don’t give two shits about you or your girlfriend” Raquel finally speaks, putting as much venom in her voice as possible although her heart is beating fast and she is not sure that it's entirely from fear.  
Zulema stands back up and slowly goes back to sit at her chair. She puts out her cigarette and sighs deeply, pretending to be disappointed. 

“And here I thought we could be best friends. Oh well” She shrugs and pulls one leg up over the other. 

\--

The next day Raquel’s face is all over the news. “Police officer goes missing” are the headlines. Zulema watches the news clip over and over again until Maca grabs her phone and throws it on the couch, earning a light slap on her thigh for the action. That makes the blondes insides tingle and she wants nothing more than for Zulema to touch her again but she only goes to pick up her phone.  
They have just finished breakfast, offering a plate of ham and eggs to their prisoner. Raquel is stiff and she wishes desperately that she could stretch her legs. Her head is almost resting on her shoulder, she is too tired to keep it straight. They have untied her only to let her use the bathroom. She looks longingly at the bed, wishing she could lie down, at least for a little while. She tries to fight sleep but after a few minutes she dozes off, her head now hanging limply, her chin resting against her chest.  
Maca looks at the woman, then at Zulema who has picked up her phone again. 

“What’s the plan Zule? I wasn’t serious about us becoming the famous trio you know”

Zulema keeps scrolling on whatever site she is on but Maca can see that she is thinking from the way she is pursing her lips. 

“Why are we keeping her alive? If she is the only one who knows about us wouldn’t killing her be the simplest solution?” 

Without a word the older woman gets up from the couch and pulls out her gun then hands it to the blonde who takes it after some hesitation. 

“Go ahead. I won’t stop you” 

Maca opens her mouth to respond but nothing comes out. She swallows and looks down at the gun in her hand then she slowly walks up to Raquel and raises her hand, aiming at the sleeping woman's forehead. She has killed people before, but only when they have been an immediate threat or when they truly deserved it. Shooting a defenceless woman tied to their kitchen chair doesn’t feel like the kind of thing she wants to have on her conscience, even if said woman is a cop.  
She looks at the sleeping woman, watching her chest rise and fall in a slow but steady motion. A clear evidence of life. The sleeping woman is replaced by an image of a dead woman, her chest no longer rising, her body motionless in a pool of blood. 

Zulema is watching the scene while holding her breath. She can’t explain the feeling of relief when Maca lowers the gun then throws it her way. Macarena is not a cold-blooded killer and if she had shot that woman, Zulema is not sure with whom she has spent the last 2 years. 

“Why can’t we just leave her?” Maca asks but she already knows the answer. She just wants reassurance that what they are doing is necessary. 

“And have her gather an army of cops? No Maca.. this way we can keep an eye on her”

Maca shakes her head in disbelief, wondering how on earth they would be able to escape this situation alive. As if reading her mind Zulema spoke again.

“We will need help for this” 

“And who is going to help us? Everyone we know who would be willing to help us is either in prison or dead”

“Except for one person” Zulema cracks a smile and lights a cigarette. 

\--

Saray is awoken by the sound of someone banging on the door. Taking a quick glance at her bedside clock she goes to wonder who the hell would come to visit her at 1.30 in the morning. She puts on a robe as the knocking continues and she hisses when she stubs her toe on a chair on the way out of the bedroom. She rushes to the door and looks through the peephole, her face immediately lightening up.

“Zulema!” She nearly shrieks when she opens the door only to have the other woman shush her while forcing her way in, closing the door behind her.

“You wanna alert my presence to the whole neighborhood?” Zulema admonishes but Saray only greets her with a bonecrushing hug, that is until Zulema groans loudly in pain which has the other woman quickly letting go of her.

“Are you hurt?” The gitana looks her up and down in worry.

“Just a few broken ribs, I’ve been through worse” She says with a smile. Saray looks at her with narrowed eyes and shakes her head but then her face once again breaks into a huge grin.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” She brings her hands up to cover her mouth, disbelief etched on her face.

“Yeah it’s amazing. Are you gonna invite me in or are we going to have this reunion in your hallway?” 

“Snarky as always. That’s my Zule” Saray says while gesturing for the other woman to follow her as she walks to the living room. 

“Would you like a drink?” She offers as Zulema takes a seat on the couch. 

“No, that’s okay” 

Saray sits down next to her, excitement written all over her face at seeing her old friend, sleep now being the last thing on her mind. 

“So I guess that cop didn’t get you, I knew she wouldn’t” Saray says with a grin. “Where is she now? Let me guess, 6 feet underground” she says and points to the floor below them.

“No. She’s in our van” 

The grin on Saray’s face is quickly replaced by a look of shock and uncertainty. She has to take a second look at the woman in front of her just to make sure that it’s actually Zulema Zahir sitting in her living room and not some impostor.

“Okay” She finally says. “Okay” she says again and stands up and starts pacing back and forth in the living room. “You know she threatened to take Estrella from me?”

Zulema of course had no idea which she informs the other woman.

“She doesn’t have the authority to do that, she was clearly bluffing” Zulema ensures her.

Saray stops in her tracks and their eyes meet across the living room. 

“Hija de puta, take me to her Zulema I swear to god, I’ll shoot her myself!” 

“No you won’t” Zulema shakes her head. 

“Why not? Let me do it!” Saray yells, not thinking about the fact that her teenage daughter is sleeping upstairs. 

“Because I need her, in case things go south”

“So you’re holding her hostage?” Saray asks then lets out a string of curses and drags her hand through her hair. “And now you’re here because you need my help, right?” 

“I just need some things so we can escape the country. Passports, ID’s” Zulema lists the things they need while Saray’s eyes just keep getting larger and larger.

“Zulema, are you seriously going to flee the country just because you don’t want to kill this woman? I mean, I’m not saying it’s wrong but..” Saray has always wondered, ever since she first found out about it, how  
the collaboration worked between her and Maca and how they could manage to live together. But mostly she was curious of what the hell they’ve been doing for the past years, especially when she sees Zulema now, who is clearly not the same woman as the last time she saw her.

“Killing her now won’t solve the main problem. It was only a matter of time before it happened, I knew someone would recognize me eventually. She will stay with us until it’s safe for us to move and then we’ll get rid of her, vale?” 

Saray listens to her friend, not agreeing with her plan, however Zulema had been her closest friend for years in prison and she would do just about anything for her. 

“I will help you. I’m gonna need a lot of cash, and some burner phones” 

“Already got it” Zulema digs her hand inside her jacket pocket and retrieves a couple of phones. “Let me know how much money is needed and I’ll bring it”

They say goodbye and Zulema leaves quietly, hopping on a motorbike a few blocks away. It’s freezing and she regrets not putting on gloves. When she makes it back to the van some time later Maca is sitting on a chair in front of the van, drinking beer. She can feel the blonde’s gaze on her as she jumps off the bike. 

“Why aren’t you watching her?” Zulema says, irritated while walking up to Maca who takes a swig of her beer. 

“What’s she gonna do? Hop away with the chair?” Maca responds and takes a long drag of her cigarette. Zulema marches up to her and grabs her by the collar of the jacket she’s wearing, making her stand up. 

“Don’t be cheeky with me” Zulema warns, her eyes narrowing in anger. It’s been a long night and she is exhausted. Maca lets out a small chuckle.

“Or what? You gonna shoot me? Hm?” 

Zulema responds by shoving her forcefully against the van, trapping her against the outer wall with her body. Maca gasps when her body collides with the cold wall and she feels her stomach tighten from excitement.

The air gets thick with tension as the women stare at one another and Maca wonders if it’s now that it happens. She can’t stop thinking of them together and she can’t for the life of her understand why Zulema won’t just act on her desires. The brunette is dressed in black leather and Maca can feel her mouth watering at the sight. Zulema still hasn’t responded to her question so Maca makes a decision, not giving a damn about the consequences. She closes the distance between them while her left hand buries into dark hair, fisting it tightly. 

Zulema is startled by the feel of Macarena’s lips on hers and at first she doesn’t move, standing completely still. Then she opens her mouth to protest but Maca uses that opportunity to slide her tongue in and oh-  


Zulema no longer remembers that she isn’t supposed to want this, that she isn’t supposed to lose control ever. She kisses Maca back fiercely, their tongues battling for dominance and she feels a shiver go straight to her clit when the blonde moans into her mouth. Zulema sneaks her hands under Maca’s t-shirt and caresses the skin on her lower back, then she digs her nails in, hard and revels in the breathless moan that escapes the younger woman. The feeling of Maca’s mouth on hers is intoxicating and she wants more, needs to feel more of that delicious body. 

“Zulema..” The blonde pants, her eyes dark with desire. She’s willing to let Zulema take her right there against the trailer, her legs automatically spreading at the thought. One of Zulema’s hands comes up and grabs her hair, yanking it to the side to expose her throat. She attaches her lips on her pulse point and sucks. The blonde trembles against her and she knows that if she doesn’t stop now they will go all the way.  
Zulema suddenly swallows, hard and takes a step back, releasing Macarena. She already misses the warmth of the other woman. Her face is unreadable and Maca doesn’t know what she did wrong. Her brain is still processing what just happened and she has to take a few seconds to catch up.

Zulema looks torn between wanting to continue and wanting to flee.

“Why did you stop?” Macarena asks, her voice a mixture of disappointment and anger. 

“Do you really want to do this out here?” Zulema replies and then continues with “And with her in the trailer?” She points towards the van behind Maca who turns her head to look as though she can see through the wall. Maca pushes herself off the wall and walks up to Zulema, their faces only an inch apart.

“I don’t know what it is you’re so scared of Zulema. But I won't wait forever for you to decide”  
She says and turns and goes back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, they finally kissed eh? After only 9 chapters. Well this story isn't tagged slowburn for no reason!  
> This chapter was hard to write because I keep having the struggle of keeping them in character. 
> 
> For you guys who haven't, come say hi to me on twitter if you want:) @elziesomething


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is longer because I didn't want to leave you with a cliffhanger.  
> Enjoy.

Raquel watches as the blonde enters the trailer, a rather sour look on her face. She is thirsty but can’t bring herself to ask for water, hating the fact that she has been reduced to someone who can’t even drink by themselves. Maca starts cleaning the table, piling the dishes in the sink. Raquel’s throat is so dry, she is parched. In the end her thirst wins over her pride and she clears her throat, getting the other woman’s attention who looks at her questioningly. 

“Can I have some water?” 

She almost winces at the way her voice comes out, so weak and fragile, nothing at all like it usually sounds, hard and determined. The blonde opens the cabinet without a word and takes out a glass then fills it almost to the brim with cold water. She then walks to Raquel and holds it up to her mouth. Raquel starts drinking and Maca tilts the glass carefully so she won’t choke. She drinks until the glass is empty and Maca removes it from her mouth.

“Better?” Maca asks, a ghost of a smile on her lips. 

“Yes. Thank you” Raquel responds and the blonde then studies her for a moment, taking in her haggard appearance, from the way her shoulders are sagged to her hair which is beginning to lack its luster. And it’s only been 2,5 days. 

“You really shouldn’t have come after us” She says after a while and Raquel can detect sympathy in her voice which makes her think. Of the two of them, Macarena is by far the more approachable one and she wonders just how deeply her connection to Zulema goes. From what she can gather, they haven’t had much interaction with other people except each other and she is certain that gives her an advantage. 

“Why do you do this?” Raquel asks, ignoring the other woman’s comment. They both know what she is referring to. Living a life of crime, risking your life everyday and with your nemesis none the less. Raquel can’t seem to wrap her head around it and she is genuinely curious to hear what Maca has to say.  
Maca looks taken aback by the question but responds after some thinking.

“To be honest… I was bored and had nothing better to do, and I can’t speak for Zulema but I think she was bored as well” 

Raquel supposes that is a valid answer and she chuckles at the absurdity of it all. She was tied to a chair, probably facing death or extortion or whatever Zulema had in store for her and all because one day these two women had been bored and decided to become partners in crime. She wonders just how many have fallen victim due to their boredom and the thought makes her seethe in anger.  
But then she looks at the woman in front of her who just looks at her as though they are simply two friends meeting for tea and she is quickly brought to the realisation that humans aren’t that simple. There is no black and white, only all the colors in between and she is certain that Macarena has a wide range of colors, just like any other human being. 

It leaves her with a feeling of emptiness and her exhausted mind can’t process all the emotions that are threatening to consume her. She is scared, she will not deny that fact, but not of dying. Raquel is terrified of leaving this earth without a legacy, without having anything to show for. She wants people to remember her for her achievements and not as “the cop who was kidnapped and killed”.  
These last two days she has not cried, not wanting to display any act of weakness but now she can’t keep the tears away, in fact she doesn’t even try. They run silently down her cheek and she closes her eyes in hope that the other woman will be sensitive enough to leave her alone in her moment of vulnerability. Macarena is not surprised to see her crying, the reality of the situation having probably finally caught up with her and she wonders in that moment what exactly is going on in Zulema’s mind. 

\--

The chair breaks, leaving wooden splinters everywhere as the poor object gets smashed to the ground by a furious Zulema. She then aims a kick and sends it flying where it almost crashes into Maca who has just come out of the van to see what the ruckus is all about. She quickly hops to the side, evading the broken chair by an inch. 

“What the fuck are you doing??” Maca then takes in the state of the rest of the place, seeing broken bottles and other items littering the ground and she carefully approaches Zulema who exhales loudly, seemingly finished with her childish tantrum. She ignores the blonde and pulls out a package of cigarettes. Macarena is not in the mood for games and she grabs the cigarette package and throws it aside, earning the older woman’s attention who glares at her before bending down to retrieve it.

“Zulema” Maca says, her voice breathless. She has not entirely recovered from their kiss and even in this state of anger and irritation she wants nothing more but to kiss her again. 

“Maca” Zulema nods and then sits down at the remaining chair with a groan.

“Why did you tear the place apart?” 

At that question Zulema narrows her eyes and looks at Macarena intensely, as though she is trying to see right through her soul. There is a meaning hidden in those eyes and Maca licks her lips which have suddenly gone dry, the action not being missed by Zulema whose eyes immediately drop down to her mouth. 

“I felt like it”

The childish response has Maca frustrated but then she notices the other woman’s body language and how she is sitting slumped in the chair, hugging her shoulders as though she is trying to melt into it and disappear. 

“You really don’t know how to deal with emotions do you?” Maca is not mocking her, it’s a statement that rings true and she sees how Zulema’s walls immediately begin to rise again, her eyes becoming hard around the edges. She gets up and starts to walk away, no longer wanting to partake in this conversation but the blonde grabs her arm and forces her back to face her. 

“Please talk to me Zulema” Maca begs but she already knows she has lost this battle as Zulema simply shrugs her arm off and walks toward the trailer. Approaching Zulema head on was clearly not working as that only seemed to drive her further away and Maca was beginning to wonder if maybe their partnership was coming to an end. 

She had meant it when she’d said that she wouldn’t wait around forever for Zulema to decide what she wants. The constant pushing and pulling was driving her up the wall and now that they had finally crossed that barrier they can no longer pretend that they don’t have feelings for one another.  
It pains her to see that Zulema isn’t willing to accept what she’s feeling but at the same time she understands her. The woman had gone through things in her life that no one should have to endure and it has left its marks. Trust was not something that came easy to Zulema but Maca had begun to hope that maybe, over the years that they had been together the other woman would come to trust her. She had so far only managed to make a crack in the facade and she wasn’t sure if she would ever be allowed to fully see what was behind it. 

\--

Raquel is bored out of her skull when Zulema appears in the doorway and she immediately stiffens at the sight of her. The temperature in the room drops by several degrees as Zulema slowly walks to the vacated chair across from her. She sits down and their eyes meet. Taking out a butterfly knife she starts playing with it, her fingers ghosting over the blade, the metal glistening in the faint light.  
Zulema is watching her closely and Raquel can once again feel her pulse quickening but this time it’s solely from fear. The brunette has a certain look in her eyes that screams danger and while that in itself can be arousing right now she would rather not be on the receiving end of it.

“You know.. the moment I got that text I knew it wasn’t from Saray” Zulema begins to speak while she starts cleaning her nails using the knife. “And then when I saw you at the barn, I decided not to kill you” She leans forward, tilting her head slightly. “Because I wanted you to suffer” 

Raquel can feel her throat going dry and she swallows, hard. 

“Remember what I said when we met at the car accident? What I would do if you ever spilled my name?” She doesn’t wait for Raquel to respond but continues. “Well, you’ve kept your promise but then you tried to trap me.. and also..” 

She pauses to watch as the other woman’s eyes gets wider, taking pleasure in the fear that resides in them.

“You threatened to take my friend’s child from her” 

“I wouldn’t have done that, it was just,-“ Raquel begins to stammer.

“That is a really low move” Zulema interrupts her, not caring to hear her half ass explanation, then points the knife at the other woman. “You know what I don’t understand?” 

Raquel holds her breath while she waits for the other woman to finish her sentence, her eyes dropping down to the knife currently pointed at her.

“I’m a criminal and I never pretended to be anything else. But you, you are one of the good guys, or at least you think you are. The end justifies the means, am I right?”  
Zulema narrows her eyes at the last part of the sentence and Raquel knows whatever game they’ve been playing is over. And Zulema is the winner.

“Remember how I said that you won’t be able to recognize the faces of your mother and father once I’m done with them?” 

Raquel starts shaking her head, no, please no. She is begging now, desperate for the other woman to hear her plea but it gets ignored.

In the meantime Maca has joined them in the trailer and is watching the scene unfold before her with great attention, the puzzle pieces coming together to form a clearer picture. When Zulema leaves the sobbing woman behind Maca follows her. 

“Zulema, what are you going to do?” Maca is half running beside the other woman who is walking quickly to the car. 

“Just paying dear Mr and Mrs Murrillo a visit, nothing you need to worry about Rubia” 

“Are you going to kill two innocent people now?” Maca tries to reason with her but it falls on deaf ears. Zulema turns the key in the ignition and the car roars to life so that Maca has to raise her voice for the other to hear.

“The same way you killed my parents?” 

Zulema feels her blood run cold at those words and she immediately looks up into hazel eyes, not prepared for the emotions that are swirling in them. She turns off the motor and gets out of the car and slams the door shut. 

“Why are you bringing this up now? You should know who it is you’re partnering with by now Maca” 

Macarena brings her hand up, running it over her face slowly. She then crosses her arms over her chest while contemplating how to say what she’s been thinking for a while now.

“Maybe I’m just tired of all this. Being on the run. You going off the deep end every fucking day” 

She had not meant to bring this topic up now but in the end it was inevitable. These last couple of months had been really strenuous and Maca was getting sick of never being able to relax. Not only were they more in trouble than ever but Maca couldn’t stand the tense atmosphere that aroused whenever they were in close proximity. It wasn’t the tension itself that was exhausting but the fact that the closer she tried to get to Zulema the further she seemed to get. 

“I see. Well, it’s a good thing we’re leaving the country then. Fresh start” Zulema answers, putting on a smile that has Maca’s stomach fluttering. 

The mischievous glint in her eyes reminds her once again of why she is falling for this woman and she can’t bring herself to say what she’s been thinking for a while now. Instead she answers her with a smile of her own and places her hand over her arm, squeezing it lightly. 

“You don’t have to do this” Maca says, not out of care for the parents but because she doesn’t want Zulema to regress, becoming the person she used to be back in prison. Zulema is a dangerous criminal, no question about that but she was no longer a coldblooded murderer. The death of her daughter changed something in her forever. It broke a part of her that could never be healed but it also allowed her to feel something she had repressed for most of her life; remorse. 

Zulema takes a step back, Maca’s hand automatically going back to hang limply at her side. She can see the determined look on the other woman’s face and knows it’s futile to try to steer her in another direction.

“Don’t worry Rubia, I’ll be careful” 

\--

After a couple of hours Macarena receives a video call. She picks it up and sees Zulema who orders Maca to hand over the phone to Raquel and she puts it on the table for the woman to see. She is standing in what appears to be a living room and Raquel immediately recognises the décor, from the flower vases to the plushy grey carpet on the floor. Zulema angles the phone, showing the petrol can on the floor and Raquel can hear her own breath hitching. A moment later a match is being lit and as soon as it hits the carpet the whole room erupts into flames, reaching the ceiling within seconds. 

“Adios mama, adios papa” Zulema winks at her and ends the call and Raquel doesn’t even know that she is screaming until she can feel Maca gagging her again, muffling her screams. 

\--

Zulema watches as the flames dance and rise up to the sky, the stark contrast to the dark night causing her eyes to glow like embers. She takes a deep breath, taking one last glance at the house before she walks to her car which is parked a few blocks down the road. When the fire department arrives ten minutes later she is already miles away.  
Maca paces back and forth in the van, she is still dressed in her day clothes and is waiting anxiously for Zulema to return. When she casts a glance at Raquel she can see that the woman’s face is covered in tears and snot but she doesn’t seem to be aware, her empty eyes staring into the distance. Thinking she looks terrible Maca grabs some paper tissues and starts wiping her face clean. Raquel doesn’t protest but simply lets her. 

The sound of a motor alerts them both of Zulema’s presence and Maca steel herself for what’s to come. Zulema enters the van and slips off her jacket which she tosses on the couch, ignoring the other two. She then lies down on the bed, still wearing her boots. It’s already 5 in the morning and she’s been high on adrenaline for most part of the night. She turns her head to look at the two other women and is not surprised to see Raquel staring back at her with murder in her eyes. Getting up from the bed she approaches her silently, her hands buried deep in her pockets.

“I bet you want to kill me right now”

Nostrils flaring in anger, Raquel is breathing fast, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She looks like she’s about to burst at the seams, the vein popping out in her forehead. Zulema snickers and looks over at Maca who looks anything but amused. She is leaning against the bathroom door, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes resting somewhere on the floor.

“Oh” Zulema then says, holding her finger up as though she just remembered something. “I guess I forgot to tell you. It turns out mom and daddy are in their summer cabin right now so I burned down an empty house” she says and laughs as though she just heard a great joke. 

The revelation has Raquel yelling at her although her words are muffled by the gag and they can’t make out what she is saying. Her eyes are red-rimmed and she’s fighting to hold back tears. 

“I understand that you’re angry but I had to punish you didn’t I?” 

“Zulema, enough” 

Zulema looks up to see Maca coming towards her. She looks dead tired from having been up all night and Zulema is also getting there. 

“Let’s go to bed, I’m exhausted”

That morning they both sleep in the bed but Zulema doesn’t sleep for more than five or six hours before she rises. Saray calls her around noon and Zulema is busy preparing the bag of money when Maca finally wakes up. She throws her legs over the edge of the bed and looks to the couch where the older woman is sitting, tossing stacks and stacks of bills into a black duffel bag. 

“Joder. That’s a lot of money for a couple of passports and ID’s” Maca comments and rubs the sleep from her eyes. She starts stretching her limbs, her shirt lifting up to expose her abdomen briefly.

“I’m also leaving some for Saray. For the trouble” Zulema says and throws a venomous look towards Raquel who looks like she wants to spit in her face. They decide that Zulema will meet Saray at a parking lot where she will hand over the money. After that it shouldn’t take more than a couple of days to get the items and Zulema has already arranged for a boat to pick them up at the coast. They will travel by boat to Turkey where they will take the first flight to Thailand. A place she had never visited but always wanted to go. 

Zipping the bag Zulema gets up from the couch just as Maca starts walking towards the bathroom and they end up colliding with one another. Maca grabs onto the brunette, steadying her and Zulema does the same, holding her waist. Just like in a bad romance movie they are staring at each other, Zulema’s eyes once again travelling down her face to rest on her lips and Maca is transfixed by those beautiful darkgreen eyes. How is it possible that she can feel so deeply for this woman? The sensation of someone staring at them alerts her and she turns her head to see Raquel looking at them with wide eyes. Zulema follows the line of her gaze and as though she’s been hit by an electric shock she steps aside. 

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours” 

“Alright. But after that it’s my turn to go out, I’ve been cooped up in here like a chicken for almost two weeks” 

“Deal. But Rubia, being a chicken is not so bad. Unless you have explosives up your ass” 

And with those words she grabs the money bag and leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there wasn't much Zurena action in this chapter but it needed to be lika that.  
> You will probably enjoy the next chapter though.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm sorry for having taken this long to update. I haven't been feeling well lately and writing hasn't been my priority.  
> I really hope that this chapter will make up for my absense.

When Zulema comes back Macarena has already prepared herself for a day out, putting on makeup and her best jeans. When she bends over to put on her sneakers Maca can feel the other woman’s gaze on her, appreciating her assets. She turns around and smirks towards the woman who quickly looks down and pretends to be busy with her phone.

“You’re allowed to look” Maca says and their eyes meet as Zulema looks up at her. Maca almost forgets to breathe at the look of desire in the other woman’s eyes. If she doesn’t leave right now she cannot be responsible for her actions, audience or no audience. Locating her jacket on the back of the chair she quickly goes to grab it and shrugs it on, while purposefully avoiding to look at Zulema.  
Zulema watches her go, not even bothering to appear like she isn’t staring at her back as she leaves. She has come to accept her attraction to the blonde; but that doesn’t mean that she approves. Accepting and approving are two completely different things and Zulema is not sure if she is prepared to go down that long path. She doesn’t realise just yet that she has already started to go down it, and that she has already gone too far to go back. 

Abandoning the thoughts of Maca for now Zulema goes to the fridge to prepare some food for her and their captive. She removes the gag from Raquel and uncuffs one of her hands so she can use a fork. It’s made of plastic and entirely useless as a weapon even if Raquel loves to entertain the idea of stabbing Zulema in the face. But right now her mind is occupied with other thoughts, thoughts about her kidnappers that she can’t seem to shake off. Zulema is busy peeling an apple when Raquel decides to speak.

“Why do you push her away?” 

Raquel doesn’t really care about them or at least that’s what she tells herself. If she had the option to beat Zulema with a baseball bat she would do it and not stop until the other woman was nothing but a big bruise. Having been a witness to their quarrels and spats as well as the rare moments of softness lead her to understand something these two people obviously did’nt: that they were in love with each other. And that was something she couldn’t ignore no matter the circumstances. Ignoring love would be a crime in itself. Zulema looks up from her plate, confused at first but after a few seconds her brain catches up and Raquel can tell from the way her eyes narrow that she’s hit a nerve. 

“That’s none of your business” She responds sourly and starts to eat but the apple doesn’t taste anything. She can feel her pulse start to race, knowing she isn’t fooling the other woman with her feigned nonchalance. Raquel studies her for a moment then keeps talking, to Zulema’s annoyance.

“I can tell that you like her and I think she likes you too so I don’t understand what the hell you’re doing”

Zulema gives up on eating and gets up to discard the remaining food in the trash. 

“Are you seriously trying to give me relationship advice?” Zulema spins around to face her after dumping her plate in the sink. She can’t believe the nerve of this woman. 

“Well someone has to. You two are a fucking mess” Raquel feels relief from finally having said what’s been on her mind for the last three days, it’s like a weight coming off her chest. She forces down another bite even though she isn’t especially hungry, chewing it with her mouth closed.

“If you say another word about it I will cut out your tongue, vale?” Zulema holds out her butterfly knife again, demonstrating with it what she will do would the other woman choose to continue this discussion. But Raquel isn’t intimidated by her threat, in fact it spurs her on even more. 

“The fact that you get angry means that it’s true. You love her…… don’t you?” 

There is a moment of silence where you can hear a pin drop. Zulema is standing completely still, knife still in her hand, her eyes locked with the woman sitting before her. Raquel looks deeply into the dark green pools, emotions ranging in there, varying from anger all the way to sadness. She can tell by the haunted look on this woman’s face that she hasn’t lead an easy life and she is beginning to understand some of her life choices. 

“Don’t be ridiculous” 

Zulema’s voice comes out barely higher than a whisper and when met with the sceptic look on Raquel’s face she finally loses her temper and her hand comes up to strike the other woman across the face. Raquel had been anticipating the strike which made it hurt less but it still hurt. She grimaces in pain and feels the taste of blood in her mouth from her lip being split.

“You should know better than to antagonize me”

Raquel looks up to see Zulema giving her one final glance, a warning, before heading outside to get some fresh air. 

When Maca returns she sees Zulema sitting on the roof of the van, smoking a cigarette. She pauses right below and looks up at the other woman while using her hand to protect her eyes from the sun.

“You yell at me for leaving her unsupervised and then you do the same thing?”

Zulema sighs, not in the mood for another spat. 

“Please spare me, I’m not in the mood for your bullshit” 

Maca is taken aback by her hostility and feels the anger rising to the surface. She throws her shopping bag on the ground and climbs the ladder up to the roof. When she gets there she stands directly in front of Zulema, blocking the sun. 

“Move Rubia, you’re blocking the sun” 

Macarena doesn’t know what comes over her but she has suddenly had enough of everything; of Zulema’s constant nagging, her mood swings and the way she goes from wanting to fuck her to hating her, usually all in the same day. It’s toxic and crazy and she can no longer deal with it. 

“I think it’s time for us to separate” 

The words have an instant effect as Zulema’s eyes widen slightly. Maca can see that she is trying to mask her emotions but the way that Zulema is gripping the chair tightly gives her away. 

“When we arrive in Thailand, we go separate ways. I’ve had enough of this” 

And with those words she goes to climb down the ladder, not waiting for a response. Zulema can feel the blood rushing to her ears and for some reason her fingers are tingling. If she didn’t know herself better she would think she’s having an anxiety attack. Zulema doesn’t get anxiety attacks and that’s why she’s unsure of what’s happening to her body. Her heart is beating so fast it feels like it’s going to burst out of her chest and she feels a strong lack of oxygen, as though her lungs have malfunctioned. A sentence comes to mind, like an echo in her head. _“You love her……. don’t you?”_

\--

“You been fighting again?” 

Maca is busy unpacking her shopping bag when she gets the question and it has her feeling like a parent being questioned by her child. She stops in her movements and looks up at Raquel.

“I –, yeah we did” She stammers out and for some reason feels awkward admitting that. She resumes to fold the clothes she’s bought and place them in the drawer. 

“Well, all couple’s fight I guess” Raquel says, wishing she could see the blonde’s face. Maca chuckles, a deep chuckle with no humor.

“We’re not a couple”

When Raquel doesn’t respond immediately Macarena assumes the conversation is over and goes to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. It’s a warm day and she’s feeling more dehydrated than usual. 

“I know this isn’t my place but… why not?” 

At this Maca almost chokes on the water. She swallows it down quickly then looks at the woman across the table. That’s when she sees the added bruise on her face and the fresh wound on her lip.

“She hit you. What did you say to her?” Maca is suddenly very eager to hear what Raquel has to say and she almost leans forward in anticipation. Raquel exhales through her nose, something between a scoff and laughter. 

“I just told her the truth. That she loves you and that you probably love her too” 

“Pff, have you been through my stash? Because you must be either very drunk or high as a kite” 

Maca gets up to go to the bathroom, ignoring the flutter of butterflies in her stomach. She can feel her face growing hot and turns around quickly so the other woman doesn’t notice her distress.

“Why do you think I’m still alive?”

That thought has invaded her mind many times as well and she stops in her tracks.

“Tell me” 

Raquel waits until she has Maca’s full attention before resuming.

“I think, the old Zulema wouldn’t have hesitated to kill me, I think she still wants to but she can’t. Because of you” 

Maca can hear the words and she understands them but she doesn’t follow her train of thought. 

“What do you mean “because of me”?” 

“I have a masters degree in psychology and behaviour science Macarena. I can tell when a woman is trying to change for the better. And this one is doing it for you”  
Maca feels all the color drain from her face and she stops breathing. The reaction tells Raquel everything she needs to know and she wants to cry out in victory. Instead she keeps staring at the blonde, waiting. One, two, three, four seconds. Maca starts blinking rapidly, her eyes darting back and forth between Raquel and the door. Raquel gives her a few moments to recover before she continues. 

“I don’t know whatever problems you two have but I can tell that that, crazy bat shit-woman really cares about you” 

“Stop” Maca says, having heard enough. She can’t bear to listen to anymore of this. It’s too much. She has already decided to leave Zulema. They don’t have a future together, all they do is argue. And yet, Maca can perfectly imagine them in a cozy cabin somewhere on a paradise island, sleeping in late and having breakfast in bed, like couples do. She can see them going to fancy restaurants where Zulema embarrasses her by shouting at the waiter and them laughing at it afterwards. Can see them taking walks on the beach where Zulema will playfully spray water on her only to embrace her after. 

Maca hasn’t realised where she is going until she’s finished climbing the ladder, her legs having moved on their own. Zulema is standing on the roof with her back to her, looking out into the distance, her hair flying around her shoulders in the wind. She looks beautiful.  
Slowly, Macarena approaches the other woman until she knows that Zulema can hear her footsteps and she stops just a few feet away. She waits for a moment until Zulema finally turns around and they look at each other as if for the first time. Maca can see the hurt on the other woman’s face even though she is still trying to mask it. Over the years Macarena has learned to see through it.

“Zulema..” She whispers, her hand coming up to caress the other woman’s cheek. She half expects Zulema to recoil but she only closes her eyes and leans into her touch and Maca can feel her heart bursting with love. When Zulema opens her eyes again they are filled to the brim with emotions and Maca almost topples back when she feels the older woman’s lips on her own. Zulema is kissing her and it’s like no other feeling, nothing else that can be compared to the sweet sensation of Zulema’s warm lips on her own. Hands entangle in her hair and within moments they are in a full make-out session. Zulema feels her breath hitch when Maca closes her mouth around her lower lip and sucks on it. She retaliates by yanking the other woman’s head to the side so she can place her lips on her neck. Maca gasps then moans when she feels Zulema’s lips close around her ear lobe, sucking on it gently. She slides her hands over Zulema’s back and down to her ass, squeezing it and enjoying the feel against her hands. Zulema then kisses her again until they both have to pause for air. 

“We should probably get down from here if we’re going to continue this” 

Maca says and Zulema smirks in response and it’s the sexiest she’s ever looked. They climb down the ladder and just as Maca’s feet hit the ground Zulema is already dragging her towards the edge of the forest. 

“Fucking in the forest. How romantic” Maca comments but she doesn’t really mind. She’d let Zulema fuck her anywhere as long as they were alone. 

“Shut up” Zulema says and pushes her toward a tree, trapping her against it. The bark is rough against her skin even if she’s wearing a shirt but Maca couldn’t care any less especially with the way that Zulema is kissing her again, all tongue and teeth. It’s a desperate kiss, filled with emotions of longing and they both sigh in content at finally getting to give in to their desire. Zulema’s hand comes up and caresses her throat and Maca inhales sharply at the feeling, her eyes growing a darker shade. Zulema doesn’t miss the reaction and she smirks while closing her hand around the blonde’s throat, squeezing it. 

“I should’ve known you were into this” Zulema’s voice is low and dangerous and she can tell by looking into Macarena’s eyes that she isn’t wrong. “All those times when you were antagonizing me, you really just wanted me to do this, didn’t you?” 

Zulema squeezes tighter while watching her carefully and she is not disappointed to see Maca’s eyes glazing over with lust. When Maca doesn’t respond she eases up on her grip a little. 

“Answer me” 

In the meantime Zulema’s other hand has found its way beneath Maca’s t-shirt and is slowly moving up until it’s on her breast. She tugs the cup of her bra down, freeing her nipple, which she then proceeds to pinch with her fingers which has Maca letting out a moan.

“Yes!” she answers with an exhale, already going crazy with desire. It's not entirely true but right now she cares about nothing except for the other woman's touch. 

“Yes what?” Zulema demands while letting her hand wander over to her other breast, pinching her other nipple somewhat harder. It has the desired result as Maca inhales sharply before responding.

“Yes I wanted you to do this” 

As a reward Zulema lifts up Maca’s shirt, exposing her and then proceeds to close her mouth around one nipple. Maca throws her head back against the wood while her right hand entangles itself in the brunette’s hair. She can’t believe how good this feels and Zulema hasn’t even touched her there yet.  
Maca can feel another wave of lust hit her when she looks down to see the other woman’s lips closed around her nipple, sucking. 

“Zulema..!” she pleads, wishing the other woman would just touch her. But Zulema takes her time, licking and sucking both of her nipples until she’s nothing but a writhing mess. Then finally, when she thinks she’s about to go insane, Zulema begins to undo the buttons on her pants and she sighs in relief when she feels warm fingers pressing against her core. The jeans are a bit too tight so Zulema tugs them down until they are pooling around her ankles and the blonde steps out of them. 

Not a moment after Zulema’s hand is back between her legs, rubbing her over her panties. Maca lets out a moan and grabs onto the other woman, holding her close. Zulema then pulls her panties aside and she almost groans out loud when she feels just how wet Macarena is. Dragging her index finger over her slit, she listens closely to the other woman’s breathing. She gathers the wetness to her entrance and dips her finger, not going in just yet, enjoying the sound of Maca’s shallow breathing far too much. 

“Zulema..” Maca is pleading again, her hips bucking up to try and get some friction but Zulema is not done teasing her. Just as Maca is about to literally beg for Zulema to just fuck her, Zulema kisses her.  
The air is filled with their moans and Zulema can’t resist the blonde any longer, thrusting two of her fingers deep into her. 

“Ah!” Maca lets out a moan at the intrusion and she immediately begins to rock her hips, matching Zulema’s thrusts. Zulema pulls up one of her legs to get better access, and pretty soon she is fucking her hard. Maca can hear the sound her pussy makes while getting fucked and it turns her on even more. 

“Fuck.. “ Zulema swears, almost out of breath as she takes in the look of pleasure on the other woman’s face. She can feel her own clit pulsating with need and tries to remember the last time she felt this excited but no memory comes to mind. Zulema can feel Maca clenching around her fingers and that combined with the look on her face is the most erotic sensation she’s ever experienced.  
When Maca opens her eyes she is struck by the look on Zulema’s face, the woman’s mouth hanging half open, her eyes half-lidded with desire. It’s enough to almost send her over the edge. 

“I’m gonna….!” 

Maca alerts her as she feels her orgasm approaching. The feeling of Zulema being knuckle deep inside her as well as the look on her face has Maca rolling her eyes back in pleasure. Zulema picks up the pace, fucking her faster and deeper, her own breaths coming out in short, shallow puffs. Maca’s moans get gradually louder and more high pitched until she finally screams when the orgasm hits her like a freight train.  
Zulema gently lets her leg down and slowly pulls out her fingers, the blonde shuddering while coming down from her high. Maca watches with half-lidded eyes as Zulema brings her fingers up to her mouth, licking them off one by one. The sight has Maca already wanting more but she longs to see Zulema coming undone so she grabs the other woman, reversing their positions so that Zulema is the one being held against the tree. By the look on her face she seems to have anticipated the move and she only smiles when Maca begins to place kisses on her collarbone, her fingers teasing the skin underneath the hem of her hoodie.

“Rubia.. “ Zulema’s voice comes out almost shaky and she has to take a moment to collect herself. Maca loves the affect she has on the other woman, seeing this side of her turns her on more than she could ever imagine and she wants, needs to make Zulema come against her fingers. When her hand reaches the zipper on Zulema’s pants, Zulema briefly stops her. Their eyes meet and Maca can see the uncertainty in the dark green orbs which has her faltering.

“You don’t want to…?” She asks, feeling hesitant. Zulema bites her lower lip, not sure how to put her thoughts into words. But when she feels Maca releasing her and taking a step back she is quick to speak. 

“I do” 

Macarena looks at her but doesn’t move, her eyes betraying her emotions of sadness and confusion.

“It’s just. Once we do this, there is no going back. Our relationship will forever change” 

“Hasn’t it already?” Maca replies back and is relieved to see a smile forming on the other woman’s lips. Zulema grabs her by her shoulders, their lips crashing together once again, her mind only occupied with one thought. 

_“You love her…… don’t you?”_


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> Chapter 12 is finally here. Your reviews on the previous chapter had my heart melting - it means so much to hear your praise.  
> I have the rest of the story planned out, I just need to write it down. I hope you will enjoy this chapter as much as I did.  
> Major fluff warning ahead.

When Zulema comes she lets out a gasp, muffled by her own hand. Macarena gently removes her fingers and wipes them off on her jeans, mesmerized by how Zulema is still struggling to catch her breath. Their eyes meet and the vulnerable look on the other woman’s face has Maca thinking that she needs to tread carefully if they are going to continue this. One wrong step and Zulema might start thinking it was all a bad idea and Maca doesn’t know what she will do if that happens. But right now Zulema seems to be caught in a post orgasm haze as she leans in to give Macarena a kiss, soft and tender. Her hands come up to rest on her waist and soon they are locked in a tight embrace, Zulema’s chin resting on Maca’s shoulder. Zulema closes her eyes and takes in the scent of the other woman and she wishes they could stay like this forever. For a brief moment there is nothing but them; no cops, no prisoner, no nothing. Just the two of them and Zulema feels something she at first can’t put her finger on but after a moment realises what the feeling is: happiness. From her experience that feeling never lasted long but for once she decided to just let things be and she hugs the other woman even tighter. 

“Zulema.. we should get back” Maca regretfully lets go of her as Zulema nods. The sun is starting to set and they could both use a meal, Zulema having thrown most if it in the trash earlier.  
Zulema starts to walk back to the van but Macarena’s words stop her mid-track.

“Wait. I want you to promise me something” 

Zulema turns around, anxiously waiting to hear what the other woman has to say. 

“What?”

“Promise me that you won’t regret this tomorrow. That you won’t say it was a mistake” 

Zulema’s thumb comes up to stroke her lower lip and she starts casually biting on the nail. She can understand Maca’s worry, it is something she would probably say. Right now she doesn’t feel any regret but when she wakes up tomorrow, what’s there to say that she won’t?

“I can’t make that promise Rubia. Right now, I want to give you the world but tomorrow… who knows”

Zulema feels her heart break a little at the way Maca’s eyes gloss over and she sighs, running her hand through her hair. She takes a step closer to the other woman and grabs her hand, her thumb stroking her palm. 

“I am… difficult to be with. I don’t do normal relationships, especially not with my former enemies” Zulema begins to speak, her eyes downcast and Maca knows she is speaking from her heart.

“But… I’m not saying it’s impossible. I just need time” 

Zulema feels a hand on her chin, pushing it up until her eyes lock with hazel ones. The softness in those eyes almost has her wanting to break down and cry but all she does is inhale deeply, filling her lungs with much needed oxygen. 

“Thank you, for being honest with me. It’s all that I ask” 

One corner of Zulema’s mouth curls up into a smile in that Zulema-way and Maca just knows then that everything is going to be alright between them. 

When they get back to the van it’s getting dark and Macarena prepares herself for another night of babysitting their captive who keeps giving them odd looks. It kind of disturbs her how incredibly observant this woman is, it seems that nothing passes by her. It reminds her of another person that she knows and this person is currently resting on their bed, her back turned towards them. Her jet black hair is splayed over the pillow like a fan and Macarena wants to run her fingers through those dark tresses. She is not aware that she is staring until she hears a snort coming from the only other person in the room. That has her awakening from her trance and she looks over at Raquel who is watching her with one of her eyebrows raised. 

“Stop” Maca knows what the other woman is going to say and she holds up a finger in warning. 

Raquel’s mouth turns into a thin line but after a few seconds she speaks anyway.

“I just want to say that I’m happy for you” 

Maca adapts an incredulous look on her face, wondering what the other woman has up her sleeve.

“The hell you are” She responds and is taken aback by the genuine smile that Raquel offers her. 

“I mean it. You two make a great couple. A crazy one, but also a great one”

Maca doesn’t know what to answer to that so she simply shrugs her shoulders. If Raquel is bullshitting her, she is an extremely talented liar. Even so, having someone else to talk to other than Zulema is refreshing and she can’t help but wanting to engage in a conversation with the other woman.

“I mean, yeah. I wouldn’t say that we are a couple… just yet” Maca finds herself opening up despite the alarm bells that are ringing in her head. 

“You had sex didn’t you?” Raquel asks her bluntly, out of nowhere. “Before, when you were gone for a while”

Macarena swallows, nodding. What’s the point of denying it? 

“Maca” The nickname rolling off the other woman’s lips has her looking up at Raquel, meeting her gaze. Raquel is leaning forward in her seat, as far as the restraints allow her and she has a serious look on her face. 

“You have to be careful with Zulema” Her voice has gone down an octave and Maca also has to lean forward to hear what she is saying. “She loves you but she refuses to accept that. Don’t pressure her too much too fast. You have to go slow, you hear me?” 

It feels weird to hear these words coming from a stranger but the more Maca listens the more they make sense. She just can’t help but wonder what Raquel is getting out of this, her suspicion still very much present. So she pulls out her gun and stands up, enjoying the confused look on the other woman’s face. Raquel gasps in surprise when Maca suddenly grabs her by her hair and uses her gun to force her mouth open. She places the gun in her mouth and Maca can feel Raquel trembling against her. 

“Don’t try to ‘sister talk’ me” 

Macarena undoes the safety, pressing the gun further into Raquel’s mouth, her warning loud and clear. 

“Zulema might not want to cap you, but if I find you trying to manipulate me again, I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger”

The tension is heavy as their eyes lock and Raquel can tell by the look in the blonde’s eyes that she means business. Maca is satisfied with the look of fear that greets her but moves her face a few inches closer until their noses are almost touching.

_“Entendido?”_

Maca waits until a slight nod comes from the other woman, indicating a yes and she removes the gun, putting the safety back on and releases her hold on her. Tucking the gun back into her pants she goes to lie down on the sofa, her mind going through the day’s events. She can hear the soft snore coming from Zulema and when she closes her eyes she replays their earlier encounter in the woods, over and over. Her mind is stuck on the part where Zulema admits her fear and once again she can feel her insides melting and she wants nothing more than to sneak up to the woman and hold her. An hour ticks by and Maca can feel her eyelids getting heavier. She casts a glance towards Raquel who seems to be sleeping and when she closes her eyes again she also drifts off into a dreamless slumber.

\--

Raquel is so tired. She’s been watching Maca for an hour, the blonde being close to falling asleep. She jerks awake right after she nods off and right before Maca looks up at her Raquel closes her eyes, pretending to sleep. Her hands are still cuffed behind her back and she can barely feel her arms anymore but the time is ticking and she can’t wait any longer. The gag is still tied around her neck and she somehow manage to get it into her mouth, biting down on it before squeezing her eyes, awaiting the pain. Dislocating the joint in her thumb proved harder than she thought and it takes her a few tries before she succeeds, tears running freely down her cheeks. Carefully, she removes her left hand from the cuff, stifling a sob from the pain. When she moves her arms it hurts like hell and she has to take a few minutes for the blood to rush back into them. 

Wiping the tears away with her right hand she leans forward to untie the knots at her feet, glancing up every now and then to make sure the women are still asleep. She has just finished untying the last knot when she feels something cold and hard pressing against her temple. 

“I would stay very still if I were you” The words are spoken so low she almost can’t hear them.

Raquel slowly raises both of her hands, palms up, her body still leaning forward. Maca nudges the gun against her head, forcing her back into the chair. She casts a glance at the woman’s bruised hand, putting the pieces together. Raquel sees Maca’s attention momentarily switching to her hand and seizes the opportunity to kick the other woman in the knee, hard. Maca groans in pain and one second is all it takes for Raquel to wrestle the gun from her hand. 

Zulema wakes up to a loud sound and it’s not until she turns to see Macarena tumbling to the floor and Raquel with her gun in her hand until she understands what the sound was coming from. She is out of bed and kneeling next to Maca in the blink of an eye. Blood is oozing out of a wound on the blonde’s shoulder, a dark red pool forming around her on the floor.

“Don’t move” Raquel says but Zulema is only focused on the woman bleeding out in front of her.

“Towels, give me towels!”

Raquel hesitates, watching the scene in front of her with mixed emotions. When Zulema looks up at her with desperation in her eyes she makes a decision. 

“Joder!” 

Grabbing a few towels from the bathroom Raquel throws them at Zulema who immediately uses them to press down on the wound. Maca’s eyes are fluttering shut as she groans in pain. “You shot me, hija de puta..” 

“Shh, don’t speak” Zulema admonishes. “I have to turn you around to look for an exit wound” 

Ignoring Macarena’s moans of pain she turns her around slightly until she can see a small hole on her back, just above her shoulder blade. It’s a good sign. Zulema nods towards the cabinet and orders Raquel to bring her the first aid kit which she does without question with the gun still aimed at the dark haired woman. When the blood begins to clot Zulema removes the towels and uses a pair of scissors to cut open the blonde’s t-shirt. Meanwhile Raquel is watching, unsure of what to do next. Her instinct tells her to just fucking leave but when she sees Zulema struggling to bandage the wound on her own something snaps in her.

“I’ll help you. Truce, okay?” Raquel waits for Zulema to nod in acceptance before she helps to lift Macarena who is drifting in and out of consciousness. Zulema proceeds to bandage her chest and shoulder while Raquel holds her up and the absurdity of the situation doesn’t strike her just yet. 

Not until Maca’s breathing begins to stabilize and Zulema covers her torso with a towel. During the whole procedure Zulema had completely forgotten about the gun taped under the sink but when she looks up at Raquel she is no longer sure that it is needed. The woman looks uncertain, like she is standing at a crossroad, not knowing which way to go. 

“She really does love you”

Zulema doesn’t reply at first, her gaze now stuck on Macarena but Raquel can tell that she is listening by the way she slowly inhales deeply. After another moment she finally replies.

“You said something to her didn’t you? That’s why she came to me?”

“I,-“ Raquel begins to stammer. She lowers the gun, her arm now hanging limply by her side. She is completely aware of the fact that she should be grateful that the other woman hasn’t killed her. It’s a bittersweet feeling when she realises that she can’t do what she had initially planned. Not anymore, not after this. 

“Go” Zulema hears herself utter the word and knows she’ll probably regret it later. She’s still sitting on the floor, Maca’s upper body now resting in her lap and she is too exhausted to care about the consequences. Right now all that matters is the safety of the woman currently resting in her arms.

It takes a few seconds for the officer to understand that she's free to go and when she does a million thoughts run through her head. She wants to say something else but nothing comes to mind.

“Gracias” 

Raquel is out the door before she can process another thought, her legs carrying her as fast as they can. Zulema can hear the brunette leaving, her footsteps echoing off the gravel as she runs away. It’s not until she can no longer hear them that she allows the tears to fall. They land on Macarena’s cheek, the blonde now entirely unconscious and Zulema doesn’t bother to wipe it away. She doesn’t know how many hours pass before she feels her back giving in and she has to move. Carefully guiding Maca onto the floor, she lies down next to her, her face nuzzling into the crook of her neck.

 _“Zulema...”_

The whisper is barely audible and Zulema is at first not sure she even heard it but then she looks at Macarena’s face, the woman’s eyes fluttering open briefly before they close again. 

“Maca?” Zulema tries to get the woman’s attention but she seems to be out cold again. Checking that the wound hasn’t bled through Zulema lies down again, as close as she possibly can without causing more injury. 

They lay like that for another hour or two, before Macarena finally awakes. Her shoulder is aching like a true bitch and she is feeling parched. There is a warmth on her right shoulder and something heavy around her waist and for a moment she is confused, until her eyes land on Zulema’s sleeping form. Her head is almost resting on her shoulder and her arm is thrown around her waist. When she looks closer she can see that the woman is actually holding on to her in a rather tight grip. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping woman, Maca keeps lying still, enjoying the feel of Zulema holding her close for who knows how long it will last?

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zulema crying for Maca might seem too soft but imagine the stress she's been under the last few weeks, coming to a realisation that she has feelings for Maca and then the woman almost dying on her. It's too much even for Zulema and so she breaks down. 
> 
> On a whole other note, I know nothing about how to treat gunshot wounds, I googled it but not sure if I got it right. Oh well, it's a fanfic.


End file.
